FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET SEEN THE FILM, THIS IS A NON-SPOILER REVIEW.
Plan B is a new teen comedy just released on Hulu. It’s very much in the same vein as films like Booksmart and Unpregnant. In the way, we get two leading ladies who set off on a wild adventure and endure wacky and raunchy events that lead to them learning life lessons. As a huge fan of both of those movies I mentioned, I had high expectations for Plan B…
DID IT LIVE UP TO THOSE EXPECTATIONS?
If you have seen either Booksmart or Unpregnant, you have pretty much already seen Hulu’s Plan B, too. It’s an unfortunate fact about this film; that it shares nearly the same DNA as both of those hilarious comedies. I was hoping for something fresh and new, even though I knew the plots were very similar. Luckily, our two leads are absolutely fantastic and the film is gut-bustingly funny or else this would have been a bit of a disaster.
WHAT IS PLAN B ALL ABOUT?
We follow Sunny (Kuhoo Verma). A South Asian woman, whose mother expects her to be a perfect good-girl in every way. Except, she has reached that time in her life when she is ready to rebel. So, her best friend Lupe (Victoria Moroles), who has already entered her rebellious stage, convinces her to throw a house party. While there, Sunny decides to lose her virginity and wakes up the next morning dead set on getting Plan B. Surprisingly, she is denied by the pharmacist. So, they steal her mother’s van and set off on a road trip to the nearest Planned Parenthood… and of course, hilarity ensues.
HOW ARE THE PERFORMERS?
I was almost immediately sold by Kuhoo Verma and Victoria Moroles as our two leads; their comedic timing, acerbic wit, screen presence and the chemistry between the two of them was all flawless. Basically, you could say that these two performers were firing on all cylinders and that really helped elevate this material. In addition, there are some great supporting turns here. Some that are so wonderful and outrageous that you could say that they stole the show. The big stand-out for me being Edi Patterson. Who plays a convenience store clerk named Dolores, who doesn’t take crap from no one.
IS PLAN B GOING TO MAKE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD?
The film plays out like most of these teen comedies as we keep running in to a slew of progressively more ridiculous and zany characters, and for the most part, these run-ins all tend to end up garnering laughs, rather than falling flat… but, please keep in mind the “most-part” of that statement. There are a couple of moments, like one with a piercing in a precarious place, that feel so out of left field and really are lowest-hanging-fruit type humor. But, you really have to go into these “raunchy teen comedies” expecting a few moments of shock-humor, so I wasn’t surprised they tried to go there.
HOW IS THE OVERALL VISION OF PLAN B?
Natalie Morales directed the film, and like Olivia Wilde with Booksmart, she is mostly known as an actress in shows like Parks and Recreation and Dead to Me; who has now thrown herself in the director’s chair. She also has another film that she helmed that premiered at this year’s SXSW Film Festival called Language Lessons and what I’ve heard through the grapevine is that people were really impressed with what she did with that bare-bones film. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any inspired directing in Plan B from Morales, but I am still looking forward to seeing what she does in her other film. Wilde brought a polished, exuberant and inventive eye to her debut feature Booksmart, whereas Morales just feels like she’s playing it really safe with her style.
It’s No Game Changer, But It’s Still Very Fun
Morales said about the film, “It stars two girls who live in South Dakota, and they’re not rich and they’re not white…” and I really wished that she had taken advantage of those things about this film and mined more humor from it, because then it would have been something really different and special. She also said this about Plan B, “It’s a typical teen quest movie.” And that I would completely agree with. It’s typical…There’s nothing new or fresh here, but there is some weird fun and belly laughs to be had. And there is a sweetness to the film by the end, that left me with a big smile on my face. Especially with a lesson, that people in your life, including your parents, might really surprise you if you give them the chance and open up to them.
At the end of the day, Plan B isn’t going to change the game and it’s definitely not a must-see, but it is a fun, little comedy that will make you laugh and is probably best suited to be put on during a sleepover or a movie night with friends.
