Why is everyone talking about 'Booksmart', Olivia Wilde's directorial debut

The role of women in the movie industry, their representation on and off-screen, and the job opportunities available have been under discussion than ever before, which have got its strength from the power of social media. On the screen, we are starting gradually to see the results of this discussion. Between films and TV series, two are the voices of the most influential women of the moment. First is Greta Gerwig, who with Lady Bird has shaken the system, intended to be repeated when the adaptation of Little Women is going to release next year. The other is Phoebe Waller-Bridge, acclaimed creator, author and protagonist of the British series Flea Bag, and author of the small female cult, Killing Eve, and screenwriter who might give to the James Bond' saga its first female 007 agent. Before them, Lena Dunham already gave some lessons of emancipation with Girls, and the ladies of Broad City Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson proved that even women can make people laugh. As follow Orange Is The New Black, The Handmaid's Tale, GLOW, and closing with Big Little Lies, a small masterpiece with outstanding acting.

Now in Italian's theaters, under the spirit of lightness and joyfulness, is coming Booksmart, a teen comedy funny and pleasant that signed the debut of Olivia Wilde as director: the actress of Dr. House and Vynil chose to tell the story as Los Angeles Times reports, "A story that leaves a sense of hope for humanity - and for American comedy", echoing the Wall Street Journal: "It has been such a long time that we haven't seen such a joyful, smart and pleasant movie."

The movie tells the story of two best friends, on the night before the diploma ceremony, Molly and Amy, A+ students that during the years of high school have forgotten to have fun, too focused on studying hard to get in the best colleges of the country. What it seemed to be a simple party, it turns out as a crazy adventure full of surprises that will make the girls discover the courage of being-your-self.

The protagonists are Kaitlyn Dever, very young but already a veteran of movies and TV series, and Beanie Feldstein, still young but one of the most talented and interesting actresses of these last years. Let's say it out loud: one of the reasons why we love Beanie so much is that she is sister to our dearest Jonah Hill, DNA might have something to do with this.

Beanie, the given name is Elizabeth (she decided to stick with the nickname that was given by her nanny), after some small TV jobs, she started to be known thanks to the part in Neighbours 2, before going on stage with the show Hello, Dolly! working together with legend Bette Midler - a milestone celebrated even from his brother Hill with a tattoo Hello Beanie -. Before Wilde's film, Beanie had a role in the already mentioned Lady Bird, which dominated the last award season. After Booksmart, Beanie is on How to Build A Girl, the screen adaptation of the Caitlin Moran's book, and yesterday announced that she is going to play the part of Monica Lewinsky in Ryan Murphy's Impeachment: American Crime Story, this season is focusing on President Clinton's impeachment.

When you watch Beanie on American talk-shows, she is like a breath of fresh air, she is full of enthusiasm and passionate about her job, but also disbelieved of working together with some of the legends of show biz. On the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Feldstein told the story of being a huge fan of Lisa Kudrow, Phoebe from Friends, who finally got the chance to talk to on the set of Booksmart, where Kudrow interprets the mother of Kaitlyn Dever. Beanie has become in a short time one of the proteges of Anna Wintour, and the subject of many articles that suggest how to copy her style.

Please Stop Complimenting Me On My Body is the essay that brought also some attention to Beanie not so long ago: an essay where Beanie expressed her discomfort for being complimented all the time because of her weight loss (accidental, due to the stress and the long working schedule of Broadway). Feldstein describes the conflict with her weight that she had for years, concluding with the final acceptance of her body and the rejection of hate comments. Feldstein brought on the first pages of Hollywood an issue that has never been solved, the weight issue: it seems like when an actress or a singer with few kilos more becomes famous, those few kilos are momentary, it's like 'Ok, you are famous now, and you can afford a dietitian and a personal trainer, you have no excuse anymore.', like if we were waiting for her to transform in the stereotyped slim bomb that makes us all more comfortable.
Beanie also stated to be in a relationship with a woman, so she is going to be as well a queer representative.