Senior Year Review: Rebel Wilson's charm isn't enough to save this dull trip back to high school

Senior Year

Senior Year Cast: Rebel Wilson, Justin Hartley, Sam Richardson

Senior Year Director: Alex Hardcastle

Streaming Platform: Netflix 

Senior Year Stars: 2.5/5

It takes the whole genre's worth of cliches to come together to bring a film like Senior Year. With a concept that's borrowed from the likes of Drew Barrymore's Never Been Kissed, the refurbished version starring Rebel Wilson has little novelty to offer. The idea that a 37-year-old woman who woke up from a coma heads back to high school seems somehow an aged trope for the film to work and hence much of the pressure lies on Rebel Wilson to make it likeable, which to a certain point she does with her comedy. Senior Year comes across that addition to Netflix's overflowing content that the streaming giant believes is perfect for those people to consume who need something to play in the background while their chatter fills the room. 

If on one hand, we have teen dramas becoming darker than ever as they have been dealing with some tough issues such as mental health and drug abuse (cue 13 Reasons Why and Euphoria), it's films like Senior Year that remind us of the era of the Mean Girls phase. When it was all about being the popular kid in high school. Although after having watched modern takes on these high-school dramas with the likes of Never Have I Ever, finding something like Senior Year as enjoyable is a difficult feat even as the film tries to be the lighthearted ditty that everyone needs once in a while when they feel too fatigued by the life around. In my opinion, Senior Year has released a tad late and it would have been the perfect quarantine binge amid the pandemic given how it could play on people's nostalgia of high school while also bringing in a few chuckles thanks to Wilson's act. 

In Senior Year, Stephanie Conway (Angourie Rice) is an average girl who dreams of becoming the most popular kid in her school and more importantly harbours the aspiration of some day wearing the prom queen tiara. Following her 14th birthday, Stephanie decides to give her life a massive turnaround and channels all her energy into becoming the most popular girl in her school by becoming the cheer captain. She has it all, even with the school's most famous boy as he boyfriend. Although following a mishap that happens during her cheerleading performance, Conway lands up in a coma and wakes up 20 years later. She's still a 17-year-old in her head but her body has aged to that of a 37-year-old  and the two decades that she laid in the hospital, the world around her has changed into an iPhone-using, social media crazed generation. 

On realising that she missed 20 years of her life, Stephanie takes on the task of returning to her high school to not only finish her graduation but also take her chance at once again fulfilling her dream of becoming the prom queen. As Rebel Wilson's grown-up Stephanie returns back to school, she soon realises several things have changed including that her language may be completely obsolete given that she's reminded how the new generation is woke and sensitive towards being inclusive. Stephanie also realises how cheerleading is no more about pulling off sexy moves. Circumstances are different now with Conways' school friends, have changed considerably, with Martha (Mary Holland) becoming Harding High’s principal, Seth (Sam Richardson) working as a librarian, and the reigning student Brie (Jade Bender) is the daughter of her high-school nemesis Tiffany (Zoe Chao) and ex Blaine (Justin Hartley). Will the changing world finally make Stephanie realise that life isn't all that exciting if you chase being popular all your life is what is left to see. 

In the 20 year gap that Stephanie goes through, director Alex Hardcastle showcases mainly how mindsets have changed and how the high-school kids attending class with Wilson's Stephanie have a much better understanding of key concepts of inclusivity and diversity that seemed completed unimportant in the 90s. Although it's a tad unkind to see all the good changes that Martha (Mary Holland) has brought into the school thanks to her own experience. Unfortunately, the film's climax also heads for a major cliche as Stephanie realises the true takeaway from high school is not becoming popular but in fact self-acceptance and being comfortable to be yourself. The film conveniently forgets to explore one major dynamic in the story and that's between Stephanie and her father and that seems like a huge missed opportunity. 

ALSO READ: Rebel Wilson confirms she's in a relationship'; Recalls going out on 50 dates during her 'Year of Love'

Set at runtime of two hours, the film is luckily aware of its shortcomings and doesn't stretch too long when it comes to wrapping up its climax. Despite all its flaws, the good thing about Senior Year is that it remains warm-hearted for the most part and is particularly fun in moments where Rebel Wilson, Sam Richardson and Mary Holland remain their natural best to bring out the humour. Without Wilson, this film would not have been half as watchable as it is. There are moments in the film where you can see her showing off her improv chops. Richardson who recently starred in another high-school reunion-gone-wrong show, After Party delivers an honest and likeable performance.

All in all, Rebel Wilson's Senior Year is the kind of film you put on when you want to watch something that's light-hearted and fun. It's a film that assures a happy ending and what more could you ask for during a time when everything around the world seems quite uncertain. Not to mention, there's a cool cameo by Alicia Silverstone who ditches her Clueless image to dole out some adulthood lessons.