'Senior Year' review: Rebel Wilson starrer is a major disappointment
What's the story
Rebel Wilson's Senior Year was released on Netflix on Friday.
In the film, a 37-year-old Wilson wishes to go back to school to finish her senior year after being in a coma for 20 years.
However, the Alex Hardcastle directorial seems to piece bits from Mean Girls to 13 Going on 30 to cook up a big mess.
Here's our review.
Plot
Here's what the plot is all about
Seventeen-year-old Stephanie Conway (Angourie Rice) is an Australian native who moves to America in the early 2000s.
After coming to the US, Conway tries to fit in by transforming herself from a nerd to a cheer captain with the "hot boyfriend".
She dreams of becoming prom queen, but a horrendous fall during a cheerleading stunt sends her into a coma for 20 years.
Twitter Post
You can watch the trailer here
High school has changed since 2002... but she hasn’t! @RebelWilson stars in Senior Year — premieres May 13. pic.twitter.com/nLbR8uirkV
— Netflix (@netflix) April 11, 2022
Observations
Conway is almost a medical miracle
Twenty years later, Conway (Wilson) wakes up from a coma as a 37-year-old who is surprisingly, fully recovered.
"Physically she's aged, but mentally she's 17," the doctor points out.
Conway's father (Chris Parnell) brings her up to speed—with poor jokes about how times have changed.
However, for a patient who comes out of a 20-year-long coma, Conway has zero follow-ups with the doctors.
Details
Everything works out rather too conveniently
Conway decides to relive the years she lost.
Her best friend Martha (Mary Holland), who is the school principal now, agrees to entertain the absurd idea.
Conway's other best friend Seth (Sam Richardson), who liked her from high school, works as a librarian there.
However, a lot has changed and so have the cheers that are apparently now about turtles choking on plastic straws.
Rivalry
The transition from 'Mean Girls' to '13 Going on 30'
The "Regina George" to Conway is Bri Loves (Jade Bender) in high school who has millions of followers and is the "it" girl.
Now, Conway renews her enmity with her old rival, Bri's mother Tiffany (Zoë Chao), who is married to Blaine (Justin Hartley)—Conway's high school boyfriend. Cringe?
After many frustrating minutes, Conway decides to go through high school by just being herself—the "nerd."
Music
Introducing 'High School Musical'
The film has many dance numbers to songs like Britney Spears's Crazy, Saweetie's Fast (Motion), and also Kelly Clarkson's A Moment Like This.
And, every bit of those dances feels forced and traumatizing.
The whole narration itself of what high school life is like in 2022 is bonkers.
Senior Year shows us a bunch of kombucha-drinking, activist kids who are also mean-spirited and lazy.
Twitter Post
Take a look at this video
I’m so excited, I just can’t sleep! SENIOR YEAR comes out tomorrow worldwide on Netflix! Crazy!! pic.twitter.com/4nTJRdXj7B
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) May 12, 2022
Conclusion
Here's our verdict on the film
The R-rated comedy—written by Andrew Knauer, Arthur Pielli, and actor Brandon Scott Jones—is all over the place and gets way too obvious with its jokes and over-exaggeration.
Despite featuring Wilson in the film, who is known for comedies, the film fails to entertain, let alone be worthy of the 113 minutes spent watching it.
We give Senior Year a hard pass.
Verdict: 1.5/5 stars.