Actress Olivia Wilde is set to release her directorial debut this year with “Booksmart,” a buddy teen comedy in the tradition of “American Pie” and, most recently, “Blockers”, where a couple of teen girls on the cusp of graduation decide to let loose for their final day of high school.
Here’s the film’s synopsis:
The story follows Amy and Molly, two academic superstars and best friends who, on the eve of their high school graduation, suddenly realize that they should have worked less and played more. Determined never to fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night.
The film stars Kaitlyn Dever as Amy, Beanie Feldstein as Molly, along with Noah Galvin and Billie Lourd in supporting teen roles, and Lisa Kudrow, Jessica Williams, Will Forte, and Wilde’s husband Jason Sudeikis in the adult/buzzkill roles.
In an interview late last year after the film’s shooting had just wrapped, Wilde said she was inspired by the comedies she watched growing up, claiming that “[‘Booksmart’] feels like a modern-day ‘Clueless‘ meets ‘Dazed and Confused.’” She also commented on how she was inspired by her own teen friendships for this personal comedy of hers, stating, “Typically, that friendship is the first truly intimate relationship you have, before your first romantic one … Platonic friendships have a really intense pressure on them to last forever, and it’s much harder to break up with a friend.” She also touched upon the off-screen friendship between the stars Dever and Feldstein, maintaining the production’s diversity, and being a considerate director for every crew member of the film.
Wilde has had a hand behind the scenes for a number of projects, including producing “Meadowland,” executive producing “Drinking Buddies,” and has directed three short films and a Red Hot Chilli Peppers music video, but “Booksmart” will be her feature film directorial debut.
“Booksmart” premiered recently at the SXSW Film Festival and will be released in US cinemas on May 24.
