Bottoms, the 2023 comedy directed by Emma Seligman is undeniably odd, but in the best way possible. I have been extremely excited about this film since its announcement. Mostly because I am a massive fan of Seligman’s directorial debut Shiva Baby, the iconic indie film destined to toy with the emotions of any anxiety-stricken university student. Seligman and frequent collaborator Rachel Sennott reunited on Bottoms to give us the most outlandish, heartfelt and unabashedly queer film of 2023. It also stars Ayo Edebiri, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Kerber, Ruby Cruz and Nicholas Galitzine.
The film takes us on the journey of Josie (Edebiri) and PJ (Sennott), who like any socially outcasted high schooler, are trying their hardest to get laid before graduation. After garnering a violent reputation due to a run-in with the school’s star football player (Galitzine), the duo start a fight club to “empower” female students while hopefully wooing their crushes Isabelle (Liu) and Brittany (Gerber).
It is an absurd and hilarious movie that playfully challenges the narrative of your typical high school comedy. We see queer female characters make rash and clumsy decisions to fulfill their desires for high school popularity and attention from girls. Hilarious jokes, gore and social commentary are all balanced perfectly to make an entertaining yet emotionally resonant story. Even with all of the outlandishness and fun, I left the theatre thinking the most about the character of Josie, played fantastically by Ayo Edebiri.
Josie is a young Black queer girl simply living her life and trying her best to maintain relationships and stay afloat in her environment, which unfortunately is hard to come by in fictional media. She is the quintessential lovable nerd character who wears their heart on their sleeve and “gets the girl” in the end, yet the character feels incredibly new. Unfortunately, it is still uncommon for Black characters, especially Black female characters, in media to be well-rounded and complex.
If a Black character does exist in a form of media, they are often relegated to the “Black best friend” role. This term was coined to describe a Black character who has no personal development or importance to the overall narrative but serves as a companion for the (commonly) white protagonist. They stand by their side and advocate for them in the face of adversity, but little is known about their own motivations and desires. Audiences rarely are able to see Black people in mainstream media as protagonists of their own stories, but rather as subservient to the journey of others.
Josie is the complete opposite of this stereotype as we follow the story mostly through her eyes. We see her as a caring friend through her relationship with PJ, trying to make amends even through times of contention. We see her express her tender feelings for Isabelle, which lead her to making fraught but ultimately human decisions. We see her develop close friendships with the other girls who join her and PJ’s “fight club” and create a safe space for other queer girls. Although her marginalized identities are not overtly mentioned, it is extremely impactful to watch a story revolving around a character like her.
With the commercial success of Bottoms, I hope that we see major films about characters such as Josie, where people with multiple marginalized identities can simply exist and fully express their beauty and humanity.