Written by: Kevin Berge
I know we're going for the Led Zeppelin reference, but who ends their movie title with double exclamation marks? (Image Courtesy of: youtube.com)
Quick Take: Everybody Wants Some!! carries an air of exuberance that drives its meandering plot that barely counts for a story. While it may turn away those looking for a conventional comedy, it is Linklater at his finest, diving into the in-between moments and an amiable spirit.
***This is a review for a 2016 movie that the reader is not expected to have seen yet, so there will be no spoilers ahead, just a breakdown of elements as well as some allusions to the film's focus.***
Richard Linklater has always been a director fascinated with placing a spotlight on moments in time. From his 12-year exploration of growing up with Boyhood to his many single-day explorations with the Before series and Dazed and Confused, Linklater is a master of tightly constructed filmmaking.
A spiritual successor to Linkater's Dazed and Confused, Everybody Wants Some!! follows baseball freshman Jake (Blake Jenner) as he arrives on his college campus and prepares for the start of a school year in the heart of the 80s.
Much like Linklater's past films, this is a movie where not much happens even though many events occur. This is a movie about the in-between moments, driven by its many conversations as well as the whole host of parties Jack and his baseball teammates hit every night, with a bit of 80s rock rolling throughout.
Thanks to a large cast of unknowns that largely dive into their scenery rather than trying to stand out, this movie stands by Linklater as the star. This is not to say the cast are bad, quite the opposite. They are all funny and effective, but they live in this world rather than dominating it.
As the only true lead, Bruce Jenner (Glee) is enticingly endearing though doesn't make his character all that interesting. Among the rest of the pack, Glen Powell (Scream Queens) stands out due to pure charisma as one of Jake's older teammates and a voice of fascinating insight.
The movie though only succeeds through its director who takes a film that should not work and drives it. If the pacing ever lost its flow or slowed down any more, it would have been lackadaisical which would kill any chance the film has of succeeding.
Richard Linklater has always been a director fascinated with placing a spotlight on moments in time. From his 12-year exploration of growing up with Boyhood to his many single-day explorations with the Before series and Dazed and Confused, Linklater is a master of tightly constructed filmmaking.
A spiritual successor to Linkater's Dazed and Confused, Everybody Wants Some!! follows baseball freshman Jake (Blake Jenner) as he arrives on his college campus and prepares for the start of a school year in the heart of the 80s.
Much like Linklater's past films, this is a movie where not much happens even though many events occur. This is a movie about the in-between moments, driven by its many conversations as well as the whole host of parties Jack and his baseball teammates hit every night, with a bit of 80s rock rolling throughout.
Thanks to a large cast of unknowns that largely dive into their scenery rather than trying to stand out, this movie stands by Linklater as the star. This is not to say the cast are bad, quite the opposite. They are all funny and effective, but they live in this world rather than dominating it.
As the only true lead, Bruce Jenner (Glee) is enticingly endearing though doesn't make his character all that interesting. Among the rest of the pack, Glen Powell (Scream Queens) stands out due to pure charisma as one of Jake's older teammates and a voice of fascinating insight.
The movie though only succeeds through its director who takes a film that should not work and drives it. If the pacing ever lost its flow or slowed down any more, it would have been lackadaisical which would kill any chance the film has of succeeding.
You will look at college the exact same way leaving this movie as entering. (Image Courtesy of: nerdreactor.com)
This movie is far from perfect in its construction. Nothing feels honestly substantial in the course of the film. Even though the plot is linear, the movie often verges on philosophical musing which makes it hard to focus on.
When I finished the movie, I already felt myself forgetting it piece by piece. I can recall the elation I felt in the viewing, but I can't tell you how the movie was structured. With no real conflict or direction, Everybody Wants Some!! is an exercise in focus.
This is not a new experience from Linklater, but this is one of the most pronounced of his works in that respect. The writing by Linklater holds the same resonance, being often funny without trying. This is not a drama, but there is weight behind the words.
In many ways, the writing is the reason to watch the movie. While Linklater's direction keeps the movie pushing along, his writing about the honesty of new experience and the often shifting need to have something to strive for truly grounds the movie.
Ultimately, Everybody Wants Some!! is a case of strong structure but less satisfying concept. Linklater wanted to complete his exploration of the journey to adulthood, so he took this final step. While it is nothing to write home about, it is far from wasted viewing.
I certainly would like to watch the movie again, and I am certain I would enjoy the experience every time. I just cannot recommend it as a paramount film-going experience. It is much more a flight of emotions that passes.
When I finished the movie, I already felt myself forgetting it piece by piece. I can recall the elation I felt in the viewing, but I can't tell you how the movie was structured. With no real conflict or direction, Everybody Wants Some!! is an exercise in focus.
This is not a new experience from Linklater, but this is one of the most pronounced of his works in that respect. The writing by Linklater holds the same resonance, being often funny without trying. This is not a drama, but there is weight behind the words.
In many ways, the writing is the reason to watch the movie. While Linklater's direction keeps the movie pushing along, his writing about the honesty of new experience and the often shifting need to have something to strive for truly grounds the movie.
Ultimately, Everybody Wants Some!! is a case of strong structure but less satisfying concept. Linklater wanted to complete his exploration of the journey to adulthood, so he took this final step. While it is nothing to write home about, it is far from wasted viewing.
I certainly would like to watch the movie again, and I am certain I would enjoy the experience every time. I just cannot recommend it as a paramount film-going experience. It is much more a flight of emotions that passes.