G.B.F. - TRIBECA REVIEW
There has been many “precious” teen films come and go in recent years. Teens and tweens line up in droves anytime the name “Nicholas Sparks” is mentioned. You say Vampire and romance in the same sentence and you’ll have to cover your ears from the screams. A shortage of teen driven movies has not been a problem. However, a shortage of smart, actually funny, dare I say clever films following teens and aimed at teens (and above) have been in short supply (I'm not counting the recent wonder that was Perks of Being a Wallflower as it was more of a drama). So welcome back Darren Stein, Director of the underrated dark comedy Jawbreaker back into the ring with his latest effort, G.B.F.
In the world of North Gateway High, three Queens rule the school. There’s the uber-mean girl Fawcett (Sasha Pieterse), Drama diva Caprice (Xosha Roquemore), and the Goodie-Goodie Mormon popular girl ‘Shely (Andrea Bowen). Each girl rules certain sectors of the school and have an unspoken of “truce” so as not to disrupt the flow of the school. But two things are clear; they all want to be the very top of the pyramid and they all are looking to be the first girl with a G.B.F. (gay best friend). So far at this school, no one has come out of the closet. Enter Tanner and Brent (Michael J. Willett, Paul Iacono), two gay best friends who, along with their other friends Sophie (Molly Tarlov) and Glenn (Derek Mio), try to just stay out of everyone’s way. That is, until Brent decides he’s going to be the first person to be openly gay in high school and thus becoming instantly popular. But through a new phone app called “Guydar” which lets closeted men find other men, the first gay student at North Gateway is unwittingly outed, but it’s not Brent. It’s his best friend Tanner and instantly he’s the newest “accessory” that all the girls want (including the President of the school’s gay-straight alliance Soledad, played by Joanna “JoJo” Levesque).
Director Stein keeps the film flying at a rapid pace without every losing the story or the humor. It’s quite funny watching the girls try and makeover Tanner (who as they find out doesn’t at all act like those “gays from Bravo”) but also, thanks to a smart and hilarious script by George Northy, it deals with bigger issues at hand such as homophobia, social pressure, and school bullying without every becoming an after school special. Willett and Iacono are great as two gay best friends divided by the sudden urge to be popular, both adding a sweetness and true likability to their roles. Pieterse (Pretty Little Liars) is great as the mean girl who might not be as mean as she seems (I really didn’t mean for that to rhyme). It’s a fast and furious comedic performance layered with a real human touch, making Fawcett the bitchy girl you can actually care about. Roquemore (Precious) kills everytime she talks about her acting “craft” and Bowen adds some very funny “clueless” moments.
Least we not forget the great cameos sprinkled in through the film; Rebecca Gayheart and Jonathan Silverman as Tanner’s laid back parents and Megan Mullally as Brent’s very accepting mother are all amazing and have a couple truly heartwarming moments with their kids too. Natasha Lyonne is also quite fun as a teacher at the school. It’s refreshing to see a queer friendly teen comedy that can be enjoyed by those older than 18 and not feel like it’s dumbing anything down. The look of the film is great, and although the “religious aspect” of the film at times can feel a bit forced and has a “been there done that” feel, it’s not as if it doesn’t exist in the real world. Complete with a “full on Lohan” speech as the end, G.B.F. is a winner that is clearly gunning for that crown held by Mean Girls, and, judging by the crowd reaction at my screening, it just may steal it away.
VERDICT: A Solid Choice
Written by George Northy Directed by Darren Stein Starring Michael J. Willett, Paul Iacono, Sasha Pieterse, Andrea Bowen, Xosha Roquemore, Molly Tarlov, Megan Mullally, Rebecca Gayheart, Jonathan Silverman, Derek Mio, Joanna “JoJo” Levesque, Evanna Lynch, Natasha Lyonne Country USA Content Advisory (Adult Situations, Language)
BOTTOM LINE: Fast paced, very funny, and a comedy not afraid to actually touch on important social issues with a deft touch. The best teen comedy since Mean Girls.