It’s no secret that the 90’s were the golden age for the teen comedy genre. It’s also no secret that since then, few movies have been able to capture the wit, whimsy and overall aesthetic of the era. “Do Revenge” is able to do all three — right down to the inappropriate ages of the actors compared to the characters they portray. 

Netflix’s new film, starring Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke, “Do Revenge” has an actor plucked straight from all the most popular TV shows of recent years. It also features cameos from Sophie Turner and the queen of the 90’s film screen herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar as the cherry on top of this sugary, pastel-colored treat. 

The film follows Drea, a fallen queen-bee, who’s school turned against her after her sex tape was allegedly leaked by her ex-boyfriend. She teams up with new student Eleanor, who has a troubled history of her own, to take down their respective enemies. 

One of my favorite parts of the movie was how over-the-top everything was. Each character was a wild exaggeration of any normal person, but simultaneously possessed very real and raw aspects that made them work. While the events of the movie took place in a glamorous fictional world, there are pockets of realism that hit close to home. The movie tackles topics like homophobia, misogyny and the double standards that come with them.

Another standout aspect were the costumes. The characters in the movie attend a very high-profile private school and they dress the part. Glamorous, colorful and very campy, the bright wardrobes have nods to several 90’s films like “Clueless,” “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” and “10 Things I Hate About You.” Are the heels, ruffles and copious amounts of sparkles practical? Not at all. But do they make for a Pinterest-perfect viewing experience? Absolutely. 

On top of a robust wardrobe, the soundtrack for the movie was extremely impressive. The song featured in the trailer as well as the movie, “Dumb Dumb” by Mazie, hasn’t gotten out of my head since I watched it. It also featured songs from Olivia Rodrigo, Haley Kiyoko, MUNA, Phoebe Bridgers, Billie Eillish and more. Music tells an important part of the story in any film, and in this one they did a very good job combining 90’s nostalgia with modern classics. 

The movie wasn’t just pretty people in frilly costumes though. The plot was very engaging and actually felt like something I hadn’t seen before — which is hard to do these days. While a few elements fell flat, the majority of the content was very enjoyable. 

I found myself a little disappointed with Maya Hawke’s performance during the film. It wasn’t an overtly bad portrayal of her character, but compared to many of her costars, it lacked emotion. I also found myself let down by the constant teasing of a relationship between Drea and Eleanor, only for them to be paired off with separate people who had next to no depth outside of being love interests. There’s nothing more frustrating than a movie being falsely advertised and it was disappointing to fall victim to this. 

All things considered, I really enjoyed the movie. It was fun, fresh and a good way to spend two hours on a Friday night. It balanced emotion and lightheartedness and it looked good doing it.  

“Do Revenge:” ★★★★☆