---
title: "Bottoms"
year: 2023
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/bottoms"
fi1m_id: "bottoms"
imdb_id: "tt17527468"
tmdb_id: 814776
wikidata_id: "Q114257761"
fi1m_score: 73
critics_score: 76
critics_reviews: 16
published: "2026-09-10"
updated: "2026-10-06T12:12:33.592599+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Bottoms (2023)

Directed by Emma Seligman · 1h 31m · MPA R · Comedy

## Identity

Bottoms

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/bottoms
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** bottoms
- **IMDb ID:** tt17527468
- **TMDB ID:** 814776
- **Wikidata ID:** Q114257761
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17527468/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/814776, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114257761

**Fi1m score: 73** · Critics 76 from 16 reviews

*In a sentence:* The footballers wear their pads to class and the girls punch each other in the face for love; nobody thinks this odd

> Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott’s high-school comedy is loud, filthy and properly funny, with Ayo Edebiri and Sennott a real double act. It is also slacker in its plotting than it needs to be, and the jokes do more of the work than the story.

## Synopsis

PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri) are two unpopular girls in their final year of an American high school, gay, ignored and running out of patience. A low-speed collision between Josie’s car and Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine), the school’s quarterback, plus a rumour that the pair spent the summer in juvenile detention, gives them a reputation they have no intention of correcting. They start an after-school self-defence club for girls. Its purpose is not self-defence but proximity to the cheerleaders Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) and Brittany (Kaia Gerber). Mr. G (Marshawn Lynch), a teacher with troubles of his own, agrees to supervise and barely does. Ruby Cruz plays Hazel, the recruit nobody asked for. Emma Seligman directs from a script she wrote with Sennott.

## Review

Emma Seligman’s first film, *Shiva Baby*, shut Rachel Sennott in a house full of relatives and made comedy out of pure discomfort. *Bottoms*, which the two of them wrote together, goes the other way. It is broad, bright and bloody, a high-school sex comedy in which two unpopular gay girls start a fight club to get near the cheerleaders, and it wants you to laugh out loud rather than squirm. Most of the time we did. The film is funny for most of its 91 minutes, Sennott and Ayo Edebiri are a real double act, and the plot is the weakest thing in it by some distance.

PJ (Sennott) is the loud one, Josie (Edebiri) the anxious one. A collision with Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine), the quarterback, and a rumour that they spent the summer in juvenile detention give them a reputation they decide to keep. The self-defence club follows, with Mr. G (Marshawn Lynch), a teacher in the middle of a divorce he discusses with his class, as its sponsor. Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) and Brittany (Kaia Gerber) turn up. So does Hazel (Ruby Cruz), whom nobody wanted and who is the only one to take it seriously. The girls hit each other, and they enjoy it more than anyone expected.

Nate Jones builds a school in which the football team wears full kit, pads and all, to every lesson, and Eunice Jera Lee keeps them in it, so that a boy in shoulder pads sits eating a sandwich at the back of an ordinary scene and nobody remarks on it. The corridors are lined with posters that repay reading; the film hides jokes in them and never points. Maria Rusche shoots it flat and bright, like a teen film from twenty-five years ago, which is the point: this is what those films looked like, with the people the genre pushed to the edge of frame now standing in the middle. Hanna Park cuts fast and puts the training sessions together as montage, punches, bloody noses and girls grinning through them. Leo Birenberg’s score does the swelling strings at the sincere moments with a straight face, and Charli xcx supplies the pulse under the parties.

Sennott plays PJ with the confidence of someone twice as attractive and half as clever, marching into every room with a plan. Edebiri is the reason the film works. Josie wants Isabel and cannot get a sentence about it out without apologising, and Edebiri lets the words fall sideways, half-swallowed, corrected before they have finished. There is a dinner at Isabel’s house where Josie tries to hold a lie together, and we laughed until we had to look away from the screen. It is the funniest sustained stretch in the film, and it is funny because Edebiri never once asks to be liked. Lynch, as Mr. G, is deadpan and enormous and reads from his own divorce paperwork in class, and every line he has lands. Cruz plays Hazel’s keenness without a flicker of irony and is quietly the film’s best person.

The script does not know what to do once the club exists. Seligman and Sennott have a premise, a set of running jokes and a finale, and the middle of the film moves between them by having people simply decide things. A rift between the two leads arrives because the structure needs one, and the film plays it with a sincerity the surrounding jokes have not prepared us for. We felt the gears change and, for a few minutes, started checking the time, which at 91 minutes ought not to be possible. The last act goes somewhere bloodier than we will describe. We had enjoyed ourselves enough to go along with it and still thought it was a leap.

Most critics have liked it about as much as we have. A minority found it a mess, and they are right about the plot and wrong about how much it matters here. Set beside *Heathers* and *But I’m a Cheerleader*, which it plainly admires, it has less to say about the place it is mocking, but it gets more laughs per minute than either.

See it with people who will laugh at a boy in shoulder pads eating cereal. Alone, on a sofa, the gaps between the jokes are longer than they seemed in a full cinema.

*Fi1m score 73, published 10 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like Bottoms a good deal, and the praise clusters in the same place: the pairing of Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri, whose chemistry and timing carry the film even for reviewers who have doubts about the rest. Edebiri in particular is singled out again and again, and several reviews also mention Marshawn Lynch’s supporting turn as a scene-stealer. The comedy is described as absurd, cartoonish and gleefully violent, a parody of the high-school sex film that works best when it goes all in.

Reservations are consistent too: the jokes can be broad and uneven, the middle and third acts sag, and a few reviews find the film more conventional underneath than its surface suggests, or thinner on character than on gags. The spread is wider than the average implies. The strongest dissent comes from British papers on the film’s autumn release, with Little White Lies calling it muddled and unearned and The Times finding it amateurish and incoherent.

## Straight answers

**Is Bottoms worth watching?**

*Bottoms* is worth watching for anyone who wants a loud, filthy high-school comedy that lands its jokes, and we scored it 73. Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri are a proper double act, and Edebiri in particular is the reason it works. The plot is the weakest thing in it, and the middle sags; see it with people who will laugh along.

**How long is Bottoms, and what is it rated?**

*Bottoms* runs 1h 31m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a comedy film.

**Where can I watch Bottoms in the US?**

*Bottoms* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Bottoms, and is it suitable for children?**

*Bottoms* is a 15 in the UK and R in the US, and it is not for children. The comedy is bloody rather than frightening: girls punch each other in the face, noses bleed, and the last act goes somewhere bloodier still, all played for laughs. The humour is filthy throughout, so the squeamish and anyone wanting a gentle teen film should look elsewhere.

**How does Bottoms compare to Heathers?**

*Bottoms* plainly admires [*Heathers*](https://film.one/film/heathers), but they are different animals: the earlier film is the nastier, sharper satire of high school, while *Bottoms* is a broad sex comedy that gets more laughs per minute. *Heathers* has more to say about the place it is mocking and loses its nerve at the end; *Bottoms* has the looser plot but the stronger double act. Pick *Heathers* for bite, *Bottoms* for laughs.

### Reviews we read (27)

- **Slant Magazine**, Derek Smith (4/4): The go-for-broke energy makes it an infectious cult comedy with impeccable comic timing from the leads and ensemble, though some jokes are inconsistent and pathos clashes with the tone. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/bottoms-review-emma-seligman-rachel-sennott/)
- **IndieWire**, Rafael Motamayor (A): The film is hilariously weird and idiosyncratic, a queer teen sex comedy that cements Seligman and Sennott as exciting voices with an absurdist tone and strong action sequences. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/bottoms-review-emma-seligman-1234818515/)
- **Empire**, Sophie Butcher (85/100, inferred): The critic finds Bottoms a hilariously rewarding, ultra-knowing high-school satire that delights in its eccentric, propulsive energy and undercuts tension with jokes. They single out Ayo Edebiri’s standout comedic performance and the fresh, subversive glee in the girls’ fight club violence. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/bottoms/)
- **Vulture** (85/100, inferred): The jubilant film is an audacious exercise in kamikaze feminism, testing boundaries of taste around empowerment and misogyny while highlighting strong chemistry between the leads and a memorable ensemble. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/bottoms-review-an-exercise-in-kamikaze-feminism.html)
- **The AV Club**, Drew Gillis (B+): It is a blisteringly funny, gutsy comedy that prioritizes constant laughs and an exaggerated world over tight character work, succeeding as a raucous high-school sex comedy. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/bottoms-review-rachel-sennott-ayo-edebiri-1850762640)
- **Evening Standard**, El Hunt (80/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a weird, wonderful, deeply warped love letter to the high-school movie and a potential left-field breakout comedy. They single out the craftily hidden background jokes and the cast’s comic chops, especially Marshawn Lynch’s scene-stealing turn. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/bottoms-movie-review-emma-seligman-kaia-gerber-b1118012.html)
- **Radio Times**, Molly Moss (4/5): The critic praises it as a raucously funny and audacious satire of high-school comedies and their tropes. Strong performances from the leads and gleefully dark jokes make it a teen comedy with a difference. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-xvwsec/bottoms/)
- **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (4/2/2): The critic finds the film a disappointing and muddled follow-up that fails to deliver on its comedic or subversive promise. It becomes a conventional romance padded with undercooked jokes and an unearned bloody finale. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/bottoms)
- **The i Paper**, Francesca Steele (40/100, inferred): The critic finds Bottoms tonally confusing and a bit of a shame, as it tries too hard to refresh the high-school gross-out comedy without quite succeeding. They single out the strong central duo of Sennott and Edebiri and the film’s better smaller, subtler moments. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/bottoms-review-trying-queer-womens-american-pie-2724065)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Katie Walsh: The critic calls it a fiercely funny teen comedy that reimagines high school as a place for female rage, with Seligman savagely satirizing the genre. Sennott and Edebiri deliver two of the funniest performances of the year in an audacious, joke-filled film. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-24/bottoms-review-rachel-sennott-ayo-edebiri-emma-seligman-teen-comedy)
- **Screen Daily**: The critic finds it somewhat uneven but consistently engaging, taking aim at high-school comedy conventions while offering a twisted look at female empowerment and teen experience. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/bottoms-sxsw-review/5180293.article)
- **Sight and Sound**: The critic calls it a funny and poignant high-school sex comedy that blends absurdity with commentary on trauma, homophobia and queer desire. It occasionally falters in its middle act but succeeds in delivering rare comic bliss when it works. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/bottoms-emma-seligman-delivers-knockout-high-school-sex-comedy)
- **The Guardian**: The critic praises the film as a very funny high-school comedy with big laughs and delirious silliness, highlighting the excellent comic presences of leads Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri. The plot's violence and incoherence are noted but do not detract from its entertainment value. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/nov/02/bottoms-review-queer-high-school-comedy-from-the-makers-of-shiva-baby)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Lovia Gyarkye: The critic finds the film sharply made but not as smart as it should be. It praises the leads' chemistry and performances while noting it lacks depth, vulnerability, and meaningful foundation beyond the jokes. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/bottoms-review-rachel-sennott-ayo-edebiri-1235349250/)
- **The New York Times**, Elisabeth Vincentelli: The critic finds the comedy takes off with tires screeching as two high-school outcasts start a fight club to attract cheerleaders. It ultimately fizzes out but confirms Seligman and Sennott as major new forces in American comedy. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/24/movies/bottoms-review.html)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★☆☆☆): The critic finds the film a disappointingly ham-fisted and amateurish high-school comedy that jettisons narrative clarity for incoherence. While noting Edebiri as a winning presence, it criticizes the overall execution and lack of understanding of the genre. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/bottoms-film-review-x3h6nf5zx)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman: The critic praises the brazenly gonzo high-school comedy as a wild ride that is a satire of victimization, violence, and itself, with a teasing humanity. It is a more confident work than Seligman’s debut and a movie of outrageously forward-looking talent, though it may not be for everyone. [Read](https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/bottoms-review-rachel-sennott-1235550522/)
- **Digital Spy**, Mireia Mullor (90/100, inferred): The review calls it the best sex comedy of 2023, a ludicrous and queer take on high school tropes that revels in unhinged humor and female rage, channeling classics like Heathers and But I'm a Cheerleader. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a46515399/bottoms-review/)
- **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (B+): The critic calls Bottoms one of the most absurd and hysterical teen comedies in years and an excellent parody of the high school movie genre. They single out the lead performances by Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott for praise. [Read](https://collider.com/bottoms-movie-review/)
- **The Playlist**, Jason Bailey (B): The critic notes it's broader and sillier than Shiva Baby, wildly funny and delightfully subversive once on its wavelength, praising the comedy team of Sennott and Edebiri and the supporting cast, though it falters slightly in the third act. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/bottoms-review-emma-seligmans-sophomore-feature-is-no-shiva-baby-but-still-delightfully-subversive-sxsw-20230312/)
- **/Film**, Erin Brady (7.5/10): The critic calls it a chaotic sapphic fever dream that captures the weirdness of queerness, praising the ensemble cast and witty script, but notes it can feel predictable. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1225202/bottoms-review-a-chaotic-sapphic-fever-dream-sxsw/)
- **The Wrap**, Tomris Laffly (75/100, inferred): The critic calls it a zippy yet broad follow-up that renews the spirit of raunchy teen humor with an abundantly fresh sense of wackiness, though the writing can feel broad compared to the director's debut. It singles out the insightful scene between the leads for grasping the complexities of female friendships amid the film's celebration of female rage and drive. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/bottoms-review-rachel-sennott-ayo-edebiri/)
- **Polygon**, Petrana Radulovic (70/100, inferred): The critic finds Bottoms a playful satire of raunchy high school sex comedies that excels when it goes full throttle but occasionally falls into the same problematic dynamics it mocks. They single out the over-the-top parody elements and strong chemistry between the leads for praise. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/23852654/bottoms-emma-seligman-queer-high-school-sex-comedy-review/)
- **Deadline**, Valerie Complex (65/100, inferred): The critic finds the film fun and important for allowing women to be raunchy but notes issues with the script's handling of themes and its tendency to just let events happen without deeper exploration. It praises the leads' chemistry and Seligman's fearless direction while acknowledging the director still has room to grow. [Read](https://deadline.com/2023/03/bottoms-review-rachel-sennott-and-ayo-edebiri-star-in-emma-seligmans-comedy-1235286551/)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4 out of 5): The critic praises the film's subversive, absurd high-concept comedy about queer teens starting a fight club, highlighting its originality and cartoonish glee compared to more realistic teen films. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/bottoms-review-rachel-sennott-high-school-fight-club-comedy/)
- **Film Stories**, Maria Lattila: The critic describes it as a raucous high-school comedy that is surprisingly conventional but still manages to be funny and enjoyable, praising the cast especially Ayo Edebiri for grounding the film, though it could have pushed its jokes further. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/bottoms-review-a-viciously-funny-if-flawed-comedy/)
- **Paste**, Aurora Amidon (8.0): The critic hails Bottoms as a delightfully ridiculous comedy unafraid of pushing boundaries and delivering bloody gags and bold punchlines. They single out the stellar ensemble cast, particularly the leads' chemistry and Marshawn Lynch's supporting turn, for praise. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/sxsw/bottoms-review)

## Details

- **Director:** Emma Seligman
- **Director:** Emma Seligman
- **Writer:** Emma Seligman, Rachel Sennott
- **Cinematography:** Maria Rusche
- **Editor:** Hanna Park
- **Music:** Charli xcx, Leo Birenberg
- **Production design:** Nate Jones
- **Costume design:** Eunice Jera Lee
- **Producer:** Max Handelman, Alison Small, Elizabeth Banks
- **Cast:** Rachel Sennott as PJ; Ayo Edebiri as Josie; Ruby Cruz as Hazel Callahan; Havana Rose Liu as Isabel; Kaia Gerber as Brittany; Nicholas Galitzine as Jeff; Miles Fowler as Tim; Marshawn Lynch as Mr. G
- **Runtime:** 1h 31m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 1 September 2023
- **Genres:** Comedy
- **Budget:** $11 million
- **Box office:** $13 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH5NAahf76s

## Where to watch in the US

- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CL, CO, CZ, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, HR, HU, IN, IT, JP, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PL, RO, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Heathers* (1988), Fi1m 80: The nastier grandparent: high school as a place where murder counts as social climbing. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/heathers.md)
- *But I'm a Cheerleader* (1999): Conversion camp painted pink and blue, and every bit as gleefully rude about it.
- *Shiva Baby* (2020): Seligman and Sennott’s first film, smaller, sweatier and far more uncomfortable.
- *Wet Hot American Summer* (2001): The same refusal to let a single scene behave, applied to summer camp.
- *Water Lilies* (2007): French, quiet and serious about teenage girls wanting girls; the opposite approach, well taken.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/bottoms