Everybody Wants Some!!
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Raunchy but funny and thoughtful early '80s college comedy.
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Everybody Wants Some!!
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What's the Story?
In 1980, Jake (Blake Jenner) is a freshman at a big Texas university -- and a new pitcher on the school's champion baseball team. In the days leading up to the first day of classes, Jake meets his teammates, including the charmingly verbose Finn (Glen Powell); the team's only black player, Dale (J. Quinton Johnson); and philosophical pot-smoker Willoughby (Wyatt Russell). They go to a disco, to a country bar, to a punk rock show, and to a party thrown by theater and dance students; drink great quantities of beer; and try to pick up girls. Occasionally, they even practice some baseball. Meanwhile, Jake meets someone he'd like to spend some quality time with, Beverly (Zoey Deutch), in spite of his teammates' razzing and teasing.
Is It Any Good?
With laid-back ease and an organic understanding of characters and dialogue, Richard Linklater (Boyhood) has crafted an excellent, breezy comedy, albeit one that showcases iffy behavior. The collegiate characters are unsupervised for the first time, sowing their wild oats, naïve in many ways but wise in others. It's like a more thoughtful version of Meatballs. In addition to talking about sex and playing jokes on one another, the characters discuss concepts of being yourself, as well as becoming part of a team.
Like its spiritual predecessor, Linklater's breakthrough Dazed and Confused, EVERYBODY WANTS SOME is virtually plotless, with the possible exception that we're rooting for hero Jake to win the girl, but it moves beautifully, reveling in time and place and character nuance and generally enjoying itself in particular and life in general. It's very funny, not a bit of it unnecessary or out of place, and you don't want it to end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Everybody Wants Some!!'s strong sexual content. Is it OK for guys to pursue so many different potential partners with sex as the sole objective? How is Jake different? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
Why do you think the characters drawn to drinking and drugs? Does the movie make them look appealing? Are there any consequences for using them? Why is that important?
When the characters tease each other, is this just friendly razzing or is it bullying? How can you tell the difference?
How does the movie depict the year 1980? What was different about that year? What's still the same?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 30, 2016
- On DVD or streaming: July 12, 2016
- Cast: Zoey Deutch, Blake Jenner, Tyler Hoechlin
- Director: Richard Linklater
- Inclusion Information: Latinx actors
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Genre: Comedy
- Run time: 116 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: language throughout, sexual content, drug use and some nudity
- Last updated: January 26, 2023
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