If “Heathers” and “Cruel Intentions” had a child reduced to violence and sex, the result would be “Revenge now”, an imperfect but humorous revenge story from director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. While its chaotic storyline is far broader than you can digest, its star-studded cast and compelling premise place it a step above the rest of Netflix’s teen comedies, albeit not by much.
Drea (Camila Mendes) is on a scholarship to a prestigious elite school. When her boyfriend Max her (Austin Abrams) leaks a sex tape of her, all of her popularity falls to the ground of her and her so-called friends leave her. During the summer she meets Eleanor (Maya Hawke), who is about to be transferred to her school but she doesn’t want to go there because she studies an ex-girlfriend who hurt him a lot. Then Drea has an idea: since no one knows they know each other, what if one takes revenge on the other’s enemies?
When Robinson and Celeste Ballard’s script (“Space Jam: A New Era”) focuses on the wicked and genius revenge of the girls, it moves smoothly and is a lot of fun: he expects to see how the villains will pay and know if the plan of ours the heroines will be successful. While the writers don’t push their characters to the end and the film could have benefited from having a lot more mischief, there’s enough to entertain its audience.
However, the rest of the elements are not developed as effectively, especially the relationship between the two girls; Much of the story’s credibility hinges on the two girls’ friendship, and although they have their moments, the excess of themes does not allow their relationship to fully develop, as demonstrated when the film resorts to the backward expedient of flashback and the sad music of their friendship to cause melancholy because the relationship itself is not enough.
Camila Mendes (“Palm Springs”) and Maya Hawke (“Italian Studies”) are good protagonists who compensate with their charisma for the faults of their characters, especially in their most egocentric moments. Hawke has the hardest task: selling the introverted version of herself and the popular facade when she’s with Max and her friends. Mendes is better in her vengeful moments than in emotional ones, but she pairs well with Hawke.
They are joined by a cast full of famous names: Austin Abrams (“Dash and Lily”), Alisha Boe (“13 Reasons Why”), Sophie Turner (“Game of Thrones”) and a hilarious glorified cameo from Sarah Michelle Gellar in the role of the director of the school. The fantastic Talia Ryder (“Hello, Goodbye and Everything That Happened”) and Rish Shah (“Ms. Marvel”) probably have the best characters, but the film does them no service by reducing them to the romantic interests of our protagonists, with too little screen time to shine or develop a romance.
Like the many films from which it draws inspiration, “Get Back at It” has a lot to say about patriarchy, hypocrisy disguised as progressivism, the sexualization of teenage girls, and the psychological effects of bullying. Unfortunately, her charismatic actresses and beautiful costumes are not enough to make up for a script unable to balance all of these elements. It’s fun as a hangout option, but don’t expect much more.
“Rivinci ora” is available at Netflix.
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