Though it really shouldn't be at this point in time, it's exhilarating to see a film centered on teenage girls... Yet to champion the film as a universal reflection of teenage girldom rather than a highly specific fantasy also does it a disservice.

With elegant clarity, Booksmart demonstrates how certain experiences can feel colossal and of walloping import even when we know we're waiting for something else-something we can't possibly fathom.

...witty, raucous, perfectly played and eventually packs an emotional wallop.

By removing the male gaze and mixing in the critical ingredient of lived experience, Booksmart presents its audience with a more authentic view of what it means to come of age as a young woman in the Western world.