“Bottoms” is a new R-rated comedy from filmmaker Emma Seligman starring Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri. In 2020, Seligman and Sennott collaborated on Seligman’s directorial debut, “Shiva Baby.” “Shiva Baby” has since gained a cult following and has launched both Seligman and Sennott’s career to new heights.

“Bottoms” takes influence from films like “Heathers” and “Superbad” and is a type of comedy that is not made often these days.

Luckily, “Bottoms” feels like a refreshing take on the coming-of-age comedy genre. “Bottoms” follows two high school seniors, PJ (Sennott) and Josie (Edebiri) who start a fight club at their school in hopes to attract their love interests.

The film takes the stereotypes and cliches of average high school comedy films and uses them in a way that elevates the humor and bizarre nature of the film. The films’ depiction of American schooling is warped. For example, the football players are always seen wearing their uniforms.

The decision to go with a more absurd and almost statistical approach to the film is what really gives “Bottoms” a personality that stands out amongst other comedies. The film is also supported by a pro-feminist approach that examines the idea of what feminism means, making for a story with more nuance than most comedies.

“Bottoms” shows that Seligman is a filmmaker with range. “Shiva Baby” is a largely intense and often uncomfortable film. This latest effort from Seligman is far from that. “Bottoms” is more ambitious in scale in almost every way, showing that Seligman is a director with a lot of promise.

Seligman pays a great deal of attention to how the film looks. This makes the film stand out within the comedy genre as aspects like production and cinematography are not normally prioritized. Prioritizing this area of filmmaking shows that Seligman puts a great deal of care into what she is making.

Most of the humor throughout the film is carried by upcoming stars Sennott and Edebiri. Sennott is given a role in this film that has more depth than some of her recent projects, giving her the chance to really show off her acting while still being one of the funniest parts of the film. Even so, Edebiri’s character and performance is where the heart of the film truly lies.

“Bottoms” is one of the strongest comedies to come out this year due to how ambitious and absurd the film is, deconstructing and analyzing the comedy genre. “Bottoms” is uniquely itself, whether or not it will be remembered as a comedy classic.