Senior Year Review: “Senior Year” mashes together two high-concept premises—the returning-to-high-school film and the waking-up-from-a-coma film—in an occasionally hilarious but generally obvious comedy.
It's a good vehicle for Rebel Wilson's raunchy charms; as she continues to establish herself as a compelling comic lead beyond her role as a dependable irreverent sidekick.
And one of the more inspired casting choices is Angourie Rice as Wilson's adolescent self; she gets to be Australian; which is unique, and she nails Wilson's sly; deadpan style.
Both women are up for whatever goofy shenanigans the film throws at them; which is why “Senior Year” feels like such a waste of their abilities.
Alex Hardcastle's feature filmmaking debut feels like a litany of early 2000s references brought to life with vigor.
Too often, the picture feels like two hours of Leonardo DiCaprio's “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” pointing-at-the-TV meme.
Mentions of CK1 cologne; Smirnoff Ice, and Von Dutch denim; as well as the needle drops from Nelly and Avril Lavigne; transport you to another period of pop culture.
(However; one of the film's biggest laughs comes from the way “Senior Year” exploits the Mandy Moore smash “Candy.”) However; there isn't a lot of new information on this particular period of post-millennium change; or about the eternal and toxic allure of high school popularity.
Stephanie has been obsessed with this goal since she immigrated to the United States from Australia as an uncomfortable 14-year-old.
She gives herself a makeover, becomes captain of the cheerleading squad, dates the vapid football player, and sets her sights on the ultimate goal: being crowned prom queen, thanks to the advice she gets from teen magazines—”Three Pounds Is the Difference Between Hot and Obese,” screams one headline.
Senior Year Plot
“Imagine how beautiful the rest of their lives would be if they were this amazing in high school;” Stephanie gushes as she follows the attractive young married couple down the street, who were once prom king and queen.
The script from Andrew Knauer, Arthur Pielli, and Brandon Scott Jones contains a genuine nugget of truth: super-popular people tend to peak in high school, then stick around town to keep feeling like large fish in a little pond.
Stephanie's hopes are dashed, however, when a daring aerial performance during a pep rally goes wrong.
Was Tiffany, her competitor, and fellow cheerleader, to blame? Whatever the cause, Stephanie spends the next 20 years in a coma at the hospital.
When she wakes up, it's 2022, and she's befuddled by iPhones and flat-screen televisions.
Her lovely widowed father (Chris Parnell) has meticulously preserved her childhood bedroom (complete with “Clueless” and P! nk posters).
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Her first reaction is to return to high school and fulfill her destiny of becoming prom queen, even though she is now 37 years old.
Senior Year Trailer
Watch The Trailer Here
In the story: Wilson, looking trim and fit, dons his cheerleading uniform and poufy green ponytail bow and joins in on all the fish-out-of-water antics.
She doesn't use wide-eyed histrionics to convey the shock of her cultural divide; instead, she uses her usual understatement.
But, because she takes such a brilliant and consistently amusing approach, you wish she had more witty things to say than marveling at how many “Fast and Furious” films have been released over the past two decades.
Still, Wilson shares delightful chemistry with Mary Holland (“Happiest Season”) and Sam Richardson (“Veep”), who played Stephanie's two misfit pals.
(Holland, in particular, has a great sense of humor.) Justin Hartley appears as a more mature version of her high school boyfriend, who is now married to mean-girl Tiffany (Zo Chao).
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It's a terrific supporting cast, which makes it annoying that they only get a couple of character features to play with.
Senior Year Where to Watch?
Netflix
Genre: Senior Year, a comedy starring Rebel Wilson, Zoe Chao, and Sam Richardson, is currently streaming on Netflix. On your Roku device, watch it on Netflix.
It's a difficult reality to embrace, but at some time in our life, we'll all have to realize that, regardless of what we think, people think we're old.
Millennials (like myself) who were teenagers in the early to mid-2000s are now considered old.
Aside from the shock of identification, one of the most enjoyable aspects of growing older is reminiscing about the bizarre fads, styles, and culture of the past.
You can't help but shake your head, wondering what we were thinking.
Senior Year, Netflix's newest comedy, plays on nostalgia for the early 2000s.
The film provides a hilarious look back for millennials as well as an education in pop culture for Gen Z, including references to Avril Lavigne, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Britney Spears' early catalog.
(Also, a word of caution: what's popular today may be odd tomorrow.) The notion itself might have come straight out of a 2000s film (or a Washington Irving story): Stephanie (Angourie Rice) is a cheerleader who is also the quarterback's girlfriend and is preoccupied with being popular.
The title of prom queen is her highest achievement. Unfortunately, she is knocked out during a cheer stunt (an occurrence that is never mentioned again) and falls into a coma for the next 20 years.
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She decides to do what any 37-year-old would do after waking up from a coma: return to high school and become prom queen.
What About ‘Senior Year' Main Character: By Rebel Wilson- Is Stephanie Conway Any Good?
In 2002, Stephanie Conway was a senior in high school.
After being teased as a freshman, she vowed that she would become cool.
Stephanie was the cheerleading captain and dating Blaine, the most popular kid in school, by the age of 17.
Stephanie wakes up 20 years after a cheerleading accident puts her in a coma. She is played by Rebel Wilson.
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Bridesmaids, Pitch Perfect and its two sequels, The Hustle, Isn't It Romantic, Jojo Rabbit, Cats, What to Expect When You're Expecting, and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb are among her most well-known roles.
Senior Year Review: Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Grade for Senior Year?
Senior Year is a combination of several previous coming-of-age films.
Because of the cast's efforts and Rebel Wilson's comedic talents, it's still a fun time.
Where Did Senior Year Take Place?
Atlanta is a city in Georgia.
On May 24, 2021, during the COVID-19 epidemic, principal photography commenced in Atlanta, Georgia. By July 2021, all of the filmings had been done.
