Blockers is a comedy directed by Kay Cannon and produced by Seth Rogan et al., that combines the racy taboo of teen sexuality with the family-friendly humor of misguided parental responsibility. Since its release, reviews have remained consistent with only a few negative critiques, the main one being that the quick switches from wit, to sentimentality, to slapstick humor and the changing perspectives on teen sex might leave viewers with whiplash.
So, with these reviews in mind, what audience is really going to get the most out of this film? Is it teens seeking validation for their sex lives or parents who want to know where the line between parenting and helicoptering lies? Honestly, while both teens and parents alike can enjoy this movie, college students can probably get the most out of the comedy for a couple reasons.
First, the movie clearly leans towards a perspective on teen sexuality that is more common among younger millennials and older Gen Z’s, where young women and men encouraged to explore but also to be responsible decision makers. The female characters are shown to be capable of both good and questionable impulses but are, for the most part, permitted to carry out both and come to mature conclusions. The movie is also refreshingly but subtly diverse, hitting on representation without tokenization. As a result, Blockers is uniquely relatable both philosophically and physically for the college-aged demographic.
Additionally, most 19 to 23-year-olds are still young enough to remember their high school years, perhaps a little too vividly, but will also have the added advantage of being faux-adults. Thus, this demographic can both delight and cringe as the teens appear on screen to bumble through prom night tropes as well as understand the sentiments and lunacy of the adults enough to be entertained. So while college students are not exactly a part of the featured age groups, they are close enough to both to feel included in the jokes.
In the end, Blockers’ biggest asset is its ability to be relatable. From pop culture references to simple characterization, this movie hits plenty of box-office checkboxes for success. So, while it might not beat out some of the other movies receiving near 100% positive reviews, it is certainly worth seeing with a few friends on a Tuesday bargain night at Celebrity.