'Everybody Wants Some!!' Review

Think of the last great film you watched. How long did it take you to know it was a great film? Was it the plot twist at the end? A moment in the middle? How about when you hear the music just before the picture comes up on screen? That's right I hadn't seen any footage of the movie but when the music started I knew that this was the next great Richard Linklater film.

The film opens with 'My Sharona' by The Knack blasting out of Jake's (Blake Jenner) car as he's arriving at college. The film too, also acts as a spiritual sequel to Boyhood and Dazed and Confused (Dazed and Confused because it takes place over a short amount of time and it's also about kids growing up and Boyhood because it picked up where it left off, with a new college student meeting a girl). The film manages to retain so many of Linklater's charms and aesthetics from his previous films, especially Dazed and Confused. All the humor that you would expect perfectly fits the time frame in which the movie is taking place, a fleshed out ensemble cast is also present, banter/philosophical talk is a big part of the character development and an absolute killer sound track are all parts of a Linklater film that you would expect are not only present but what make the film so great.

The main cast is centered around a group of baseball players in the three days before classes start as get to know each other, play baseball and of course, party. The cast is lead by Blake Jenner with Juston Street, Ryan Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Wyatt Russell, Glen Powell, Temple Baker, J. Quinton Johnson and Will Brittain as the baseball team (there are more players in the team but just too many to name) and Zoey Deutch as the girl Blake Jenner's character is interested in.

Just like Dazed and Confused, Linklater captures the essence of school (or college in this case) in a way so that it feels alive. A complaint about Boyhood was that it was "boring" but here Linklater has a different approach, it doesn't have as many shot|reverse shot scenes (which I loved in boyhood). Linklater plays with his camera more and the same goes for his characters.

Everybody Wants Some!! was easily my most anticipated film of the year because of Linklater's previous films and the more than delivered on all levels.

Overall Score: 10/10

Everybody Wants Some!! comes out in limited release this Thursday (23rd of June)

Director: Richard Linklater

Writer: Richard Linklater

Starring: Blake Jenner and Zoey Deutch and rest of the aforementioned baseball team.

Cinematographer: Shane F. Kelly

Editor: Sandra Adair

Music/Score: Richard Linklater (soundtrack)