[yasr_overall_rating]
A group of college baseball players navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood.
Reputed to be Richard Linklater’s “spiritual sequal” to “Dazed and Confused,” “Everybody Wants Some” addresses its subject matter in the confident hands of a veteran director whose choices are both funnier and more mature, a strange thing to say about the seemingly sophomoric storyline at play. The film essentially follows the freshman members of a college baseball team as they look for love, party and begin friendships their first weekend on campus before classes begin. Freshman pitcher Jake (Blake Jenner) fits in smoothly, but the others don’t seem to pick up on the rites of passage quite as quickly. Characters range from smooth talking upperclassman Finnegan (Blake Powell) to stoner Willoughby (Wyatt Russell) to unhinged Nesbit (Austin Amelio). While this film is about the boys’ pursuit of a good time, preferably with a sexy coed, and lots of beer and pot, the lone female character of any note is Ryan’s love interest, Beverly, played nicely by Zoey Deutch.
The acting has never been better for a film of this genre. Every player embodies his or her character completely, and the ensemble chemistry is nearly perfect. Standouts include Powell as the Finnegan, whose smooth personality and easy manner hold the group together loosely. Powell easily rattles off one liners and interplays them with facial and physical comedy that steals every scene he’s in. This is no small feat with so much talent on screen. Russell’s Willoughby is the obligatory philosopher-stoner who understands the magic of music “between the notes” and waxes on about individualism. Even he has a few surprises to reveal as the film plays on. He wears a perpetual smile on his face, enjoying every second of time he has. McReynolds (Tyler Hoechlin), the ultra competitive athlete, doesn’t allow his character to fall into stereotype either. He, along with each player, at times infuses the scene with some thoughtful maturity, just don’t beat him at ping pong. I could go on and on, but need to mention Jenner’s turn as All American boy Ryan.
He and Deutch’s Beverly could have easily been simple, plastic characters. Jenner never settles for just the “nice boy” approach. He gives Ryan enough charm and winning personality to fill that role, but goes beyond the basics to give him a touch of independence and maturity. He’s the one Freshman who seems to “get” the experience he’s in and appreciates it for the memories he’s making. Beverly comes across as the semi-feminist performing arts major who’s still a sucker for a cute guy. She’s highly intelligent, but Ryan goes toe-to-toe with her on that front, making their match, not only believable, but inevitably a perfect fit. The depth of their connection shows in sweet moments where the audience almost feels like a group of guilty voyeurs.
It’s this ability to create a “moment in time” that sets Richard Linklater apart from other directors. His films follow people and places as a seemingly casual observer, leaving the audience to pick up on the subtleties and details sprinkled all over the screen. Working from his own script, he revisits many of the same tropes and ideas he has before. However, his directing touch has matured considerably. He manages to create a “party” film which feels as relevant and urgent as “Boyhood,” which many consider his masterpiece. The dialogue remains thoughtful, irreverent, bawdy, and infused with an unexpected depth. Because of the performances he pulls from his actors, it all feels intrinsically real. This film could easily have been a documentary for my own youth, much less that of countless other hell-raising Texas youths during the 80s. I won’t go so far as to say it defines a generation, but it sure feels awfully familiar.
The set, costumes, dialogue – all of it – recreate a fully realized vision of that transitional period between disco, country, and hair bands. Linklater is like the man who never threw away any of his Star Wars action figures from his youth. He’s still playing with the same toys, but what he’s doing with them is much cooler than before.
In theaters April 8th
