I'm writing this in response to no post in particular
I've been watching a phenomenon unfold over the last few years where people who see unfamiliar settings or lifestyles onscreen are quick to brand the film as "unrelatable" and therefore unenjoyable or out of touch. In particular, this happened with La La Land, it happened with Crazy Rich Asians, and I'm seeing it happen with Booksmart now.
I want to say that it is important not to confuse a relatable story with a relatable plot.
Booksmart's plot is about a school of upperclass young teens jumping from bougie party to bougie party - its story is about insecurities and friendships and "enemies." It is a story about being careful not to push your own insecurities onto people you may think are your competitors, and realize that they may instead be struggling with the same insecurities as you are and are likely just as willing to be your ally and your friend. Regardless of your upbringing, these themes are, I think, relatable to many people.
La La Land is not a story about lost-in-the-clouds, upper-middle-class artists making it big in Hollywood - it is a story about how people who love each other may sometimes need to leave one another in order to be happy. It is a story about how chasing your dreams in one direction can sometimes close doors in others, but that doesn't mean there is only one path to happiness.
Crazy Rich Asians is not a story about lavishly rich indulgent Asians and their billion-dollar parties and weddings - it is about living up to expectations or finally becoming aware of how unreasonable they are, choosing to put your happiness and health before your family's, and how breaking tradition doesn't mean you don't respect your past. It is a representation of one of many 2nd generation immigrant stories through these particular eyes of an Asian-American.
Lion King for god's sake is about a lion claimant to the African wildlife throne - but everyone knows it's not really about lions, and frankly it's not even about kings. Who is out here saying they love Lion King because they can relate to living in exile for a decade with the crippling guilt of having their father's blood on their hands? Exactly: fuckin no one. Lion King is relatable and accessible because it is a story about confronting your past in order to be at peace with it, rather than running away from it.
This is what stories are. No matter how outlandish or barely recognizable its setting or characters or plot is, at their cores there are nuggets of truth and the human condition. Storytelling is humankind's oldest tradition for a reason, and I daresay that any and all movies, books, and songs are absolutely relatable to all people in one way or another. It's killing me to see movies be knocked down a peg because they're thought of as "unrelatable." In my opinion, there is no story or movie out there that is so outlandish or heartless as to be unrelatable. Unless it's Epic Movie.
If you can relate to Star Wars, if you can relate to Pride and Prejudice, if you can relate to Mad Max: Fury Road, if you can relate to Lord of the Rings, then you can easily, easily relate to Booksmart.
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