Do Revenge movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Do Revenge

This dark comedy movie was released on Netflix on September 16, 2022.

RATING: TV-MA

LENGTH: 1 hour 58 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B-

IN A NUTSHELL:

Drea is at the peak of her high school powers when her entire life goes up in flames after her sex tape gets leaked to the whole school, seemingly by her boyfriend and king of the school, Max. Eleanor is an awkward new transfer student who is angered to find out that she now has to go to school with her old bully, Carissa who started a nasty rumor about her in summer camp when they were 13. After a clandestine run-in at tennis camp, Drea and Eleanor form an unlikely and secret friendship to get revenge on each other’s tormentors.

The movie was directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robison, who also wrote it with the help of Celeste Ballard.

THINGS I LIKED:

I was excited to see Maya Hawke because she’s the daughter of legendary actors Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke. Surely, she picked up a few tips from her award-winning parents over the years. She looks just like them and did an excellent job.
Camila Mendes did a fantastic job too.
It was fun to see Sarah Michelle Gellar in something again. She looks great. There were so many nods to the movie she starred in called Cruel Intentions. The director changed some of her lines so she would sound like her character in that movie.
I loved all of the respectful nods to past teen movies in a similar genre from the 1990s. The soundtrack even included music from some of them.
If you’ve read the book “Strangers on a Train” by Patricia Highsmith, you’ll get a kick out of seeing Maya Hawke’s character reading it. If you don’t know the book, it won’t surprise you that the story is about two people getting revenge…or should I say, “Doing Revenge”?
Fantastic costume design by Alana Morshead.
Fans of Game of Thrones will love the small cameo Sophie Turner has in the film.
The movie is very self-aware of how ridiculously woke and narcissistic all of the characters are.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

I couldn’t stand ANY of the characters in this movie. What makes me sad is knowing that some teen viewers will try to emulate what they see in this movie. Adults can recognize this movie as satire, but young viewers may not.
Everyone seems to have endless amounts of money. Movies like this set up ridiculous expectations for teenagers.
No one looked like a high school kid at all. Not even close.
Why are girls so shallow and so quick to give it away to a dumb guy?
The movie overstays its welcome, clocking in at almost 2 hours.
Teens today may not recognize the Easter eggs, nor appreciate how clever some of them are.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

All of these teens are TERRIBLE role models for your kids. If they insist on watching it, please have conversations with them about why this movie is a cautionary tale.
We see teens drink a lot of alcohol, smoke weed, and do lines of cocaine
A bunch of teens get high on mushrooms
A teen guy feels up a teen girl
A girl makes a sex tape for her boyfriend

THEMES:

Revenge
Narcissism
Forgiveness
Anger management
Trust
Lesbians
Profanity, including F-bombs
Choices and consequences
Superficiality
Shame
Teens in high school
Social status
Money
Power

INTERESTING LINES:

“The only way for you to get ahead is to be smarter.” – The Headmaster (Sarah Michelle Geller)

“Peaking in high school is cringe anyway.” – Drea (Camila Mendes)

“My therapist, the beloved Dr. Gratch, says that hurt people hurt people, but I just don’t think that applies to teenage girls. I think sometimes they’re just evil.” – Eleanor (Maya Hawke)

“You look like you want a grilled cheese.” – Eleanor (Maya Hawke)