Movie review
May 24, 2019 · 102 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Booksmart is a 2019 comedy about two overachieving high school best friends who realize their partying classmates also got into top colleges and decide to cram four years of fun into one wild graduation night. The story follows their misadventures, deepening friendship, and personal realizations about ambition versus living in the moment. It features light feminist banter referencing figures like Malala Yousafzai and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, plus a central queer romantic arc for one lead character that includes a same-sex kiss and intimacy scene.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Booksmart.
Woke representation / casting
Naturalistic high school casting with fitting diversity in supporting roles; prominent lesbian protagonist and on-screen same-sex kiss/intimacy add visible queer representation that stands out in the story.
Woke political dialogue
Occasional feminist references and empowerment talk appear in natural banter between friends, including direct nods to Malala and Ruth Bader Ginsburg; comedic rather than lecture-style.
Identity-driven story themes
Strong emphasis on female ambition, friendship, and breaking gender stereotypes for girls; one lead's queer crush and exploration form a key emotional arc with clear identity focus.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Light pushback against stereotypes of smart girls, internal misogyny among peers, and societal pressure on young women to be perfect; no heavy systemic attacks on capitalism, patriarchy as institution, or conservative norms.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Conservative reviews flagged feminist mantras, girl-power elements, and progressive messaging as "uber-woke" or hard-left, though many still praised the humor and story; complaints stayed mild with no major organized pushback.
Creator track record context
Multiple key writers have documented feminist or liberal patterns in prior work focused on gender tropes and women's voices; director has public advocacy record on empowerment and patriarchy; overall mild-to-noticeable pattern without extreme identity-first activism.
Production
