The 2000s had some comedies that were vulgar, silly and downright crude, but they hit the target audience precisely. MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes saw a film on Amazon Prime that hits exactly the same note, but is much more modern.
What movie is it about? The film Bottoms was released in 2023 and is a comedy that satirically deals with well-known high school tropes. The two lesbian students PJ and Josie, who play classic losers here, are the main characters of the film. Due to absurd incidents, the two start a self-defense course that is more like a fight club in order to get closer to the cheerleaders.
Bottoms is, as you might expect from the premise, not a squeamish or elegant film. The film is silly and extremely vulgar. The well-known high school tropes are ridiculed to such an extent that I thought the film was an 18+ version of a film like High School Musical.
You can get a first look at the film here:
Bottoms – Trailer for the modern high school comedy from 2023
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Disney Channel for adults
Bottoms is a satire about high school clichés. The world in Bottoms is absolutely exaggerated. The many students seem like blueprints from the cliché box and the football players and the holy quarterback in particular are an absurd highlight. The school’s star player is worshipped almost like a god and he sits in the cafeteria like Jesus with his disciples.
The clichés are the perfect contrast to the two protagonists, who are classic losers but are portrayed as the only normal ones. The silly situations go so far that I was reminded of something like Scary Movie.
Fight Club is also pure fun, because instead of learning real self-defense, people just punch each other in the face. You shouldn’t expect intelligent jokes here, but the film never acts as if you should expect them.
The many Disney Channel clichés are also taken to the extreme at the end, when the opposing high school wants revenge on the players and it goes beyond insults.
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Despite the black humor, there are important themes
Bottoms also discusses socially relevant topicsThe two protagonists alone are a great contrast to other female roles in such films. They play the pubescent losers who are usually played by men.
Topics such as sexual harassment, homophobia and feminism are also addressed. This is never done subtly, but fits perfectly with the vulgar nature of the film.
When the students talk about their problems and the teacher interrupts them with: Guys, I’m getting a divorce or men need therapy too. The film uses a comedic approach to show how women’s problems are often attributed to men or directly interrupted.
Unlike other films, however, this seems organic in Bottoms. Bottoms never tries to pull on the heartstrings or make the mood more serious and I really liked that. Nothing seems out of place.
I had a lot of fun with Bottoms. That’s because of the fights, but also because of the social issues. But you shouldn’t expect a lot of development here. The comedy aspects won’t appeal to everyone either. But if you miss American Pie and want to see a more modern version of something like that, you’ll have fun with Bottoms. If you want to make fun of Generation Y, you should check this out: The new film “Old Dads” on Netflix is ideal for anyone who hates 30-year-olds