Do Revenge – A Future Classic Highschool Comedy

High School social satires are a fairly common genre, particularly in the late 90s and early 2000s. Movies such as Mean Girls and Heathers were turned into classics, quotable even to this day. As a result, it’s easy to see where the genre might get stale, other films attempting to do the same thing, replicate a similar idea, only to churn out a subpar product in the process, such as Mean Girls 2. So, when the first trailer for Do Revenge was released, it is only fair that it was followed by some caution over its premise, one that has been seen multiple times before to less than desired success. However, it’s the film’s self-awareness and its own sparks of originality, though it does borrow heavily from other teenage high school movies, that separate it from the rest of its peers. The film is exactly as the title suggests, it revolves around revenge, specifically two teenage girls who set out to ‘do revenge’ on the two people who have harmed them. Though certainly falling into typical cliches, and being perhaps a little too long, it adds its own voice into the high school movie genre, whilst paying homage to its predecessors.

The story sees Drea (Mendes) attend a private high school where she is dating the class president and favorite of the school, Max (Abrams), though at the end of the school year, a private video she sent to Max is leaked and she’s ostracized from her friend group. She later runs into Eleanor (Hawke), another schoolmate who wants to get revenge on the girl who outed her at summer camp years prior. Together, they vow to get revenge on the people who hurt them. The premise, loosely based on Strangers on a Train by Alfred Hitchcock, works surprisingly well. Despite the idea being taken by Mean Girls back in 2004, co-writer and director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson pays homage to previous films of the same genre, whilst also allowing her to forge her own voice. The film feels self-aware of its satirical nature and with the lavish execution including self-aware voice overs (there’s even a part where Hawke’s character mentions a costume change), the film never appears to take itself too seriously in its execution of its concept.

The way Do Revenge leans into the almost complete absurdity of its plot is where it shines, heightened by its lavish and vibrant but pastel color palette, production design (reminiscent of 1999 indie film But I’m a Cheerleader). Watching the film, the plot seems outlandish: Carissa (Ava Capri), Eleanor’s former tormentor, is expelled after having been found by Drea to be growing weed at the school, whilst Max is outed as being a serial cheater through an absurd method of getting text messages (though later ‘amended’ by stating he is in an open relationship). And even as outlandish the plot grows (specifically towards the end), it remains a scathing criticism of patriarchal society and examination of the complexities of female relationships and high school cliches and social hierarchies. Specifically, how it weaves its characters through the situations feels excessive and over the top, but it still manages to stick the landing in presenting its messaging.

The writing of the characters adds to how the film is perceived. By writing the characters as multidimensional and complex, it allows to both sympathize with and healthily criticize the actions of the characters at the same time. The characters both do deceptive, awful things, but also remain sympathetic. They are never inherently good or inherently bad, rather they remain in a grey area. Aside from the writing, the chemistry between all the characters is a highlight of the film. They way not only Mendes and Hawke play off each other, but the rest of the cast, leads into the film’s charm and allure. The dynamics between the cast and how they play off each other in different scenes are aided by the excellent and genuine connection between the cast. The most memorable character in it of its own remains the stellar soundtrack, with artists such as MUNA, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Hayley Kiyoko, and Tate McRae, amongst other artists, providing the audience with satisfying needle drops. The track list is a good mix of gen-z hit artists and 90s musicians, calling back to the days of the early, classic high school movies.

Do Revenge may pay homage to the several films that came before it, but it also has an original voice and its own thoughts on the themes it tackles. Even though it is a little on the long side, the romances are maybe a little underdeveloped, and how it delves into over-the-top territory at times, particularly at the end, its campiness only serves to enhance the experience of the film by drawing attention to itself and the absurdity of the situation. Aided by the stellar soundtrack and fantastic cast, the film cements itself as a future classic alongside films such as Clueless, Mean Girls, and Heathers.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Jasmine Graham