Review of Everybody Wants Some!! (2016) by James R — 18 Mar 2016

I went to a special screening of this film where Director Richard Linklater himself was there for a Q&A after the film. Everybody Wants Some!! Is in someways according to Linklater a spiritual successor to his previous films Dazed and Confused (1993) and Boyhood (2014).

Dazed and Confused is about high school, Boyhood is about life growing up leading to the first day of college. Then Everybody Wants Some is about the weekend before college when you finally get that freedom and no restrictions.

It's up to you what to do going forward in life whether its good or bad decisions. The film follows a group of college baseball players in the early 80's living in a house together and getting ready for the start of college.

They go out every night party it up whether it's disco one night, country the next, or even punk right after they all are trying to find themselves and identify with something. Seen as jocks the young men are not all just dumb stereotypes.

We follow freshman Jake (Blake Jenner) who's much more than he seems, McReynolds (Tyler Hoechlin) the leader of the group who hates losing, Willoughby (Wyatt Russell) who's the oldest and most veteran of them all that implores everybody to smoke with him and explore their minds, Finnegan (Glen Powell) the fast talking one of the bunch who's smooth with the ladies, and more.

The house has a ton of personalities and the film does a great job of making you like the pretty early on. It's a nice comedy with some great moments that for me were relatable (I'm pretty sure anyone who went to college can relate to it).

Overall, solid film about a different coming of age and one that I recommend checking out!