Movie Review – Everybody Wants Some!!

Richard Linklater is known for his ability to capture moments of time by utilizing everything from spot on dialogue to music selection. Everybody Wants Some!! is no exception. If the film itself does not become an instant classic, the movie soundtrack will be. I’ll give you five words; spontaneous breakout of Rapper’s Delight.
1980’s Texas may have only been a little over three decades ago (and 1,377 miles from Michigan to Texas) but it sometimes feels a world away as we watch the weekend before main character, Jake starts his freshmen year playing baseball at Southeast Texas University. Jake (Blake Jenner) comes from being a big shot high school baseball player but the adjustment period is almost nonexistent as he jumps right in to the swing of things with his new teammates as they hit up parties, hit on girls, and straight up hit other guys. The story itself takes place over the course of one weekend, but somehow these guys manage to go to more parties than some university students go to in a semester (or a year, in my case).
For a movie about a baseball team, we don’t actually watch them play that much baseball, instead we focus on how one group of friends can transform themselves so as to follow the parties the ladies are at. They attend everything from a disco to country to punk get-togethers. These guys do not discriminate. If Jake is the character the audience is to empathize with, then McReynold’s character (Tyler Hoechlin) is the hot headed hotshot senior that we’ve all met (or been) before. There’s also Finnegan (Glen Powell), the smooth talking king chameleon, Dale (J. Quinton Johnson), the well balance sophomore, and finally Willoughby (Wyatt Russell), resident philosophical stoner.
Linklater follows his own formula for storylines, there isn’t always a reason as to why this particular moment is being followed on film, but you will be surely enjoy the ride. Everything from polyester shirts to video recorded episodes of Twilight Zone should be a blast from the past for anyone around in 1980. While I wasn’t quite born yet, my mom chuckled quite a few times as only someone reminiscing fondly, could.
What will strike anyone watching almost immediately is the camaraderie amongst the characters. It feels wholly natural and organic, which is not only a testament to the actors themselves, but to the writing and directing. As a university student in 2016, I found myself thinking that as much as things change, is as much as they’ve stayed the same. The dialogue was very similar to conversations I hear today and was delivered by talented (and some) fairly new actors. The takeaway(s) for this film could be any number of things depending on who you are and what you’re experiencing. There’s not one message they’re really trying to drive home. I found myself fixated on the “presentness” of the characters. No phones, no social media, and little to no inhibitions, especially while dancing. I certainly think everybody who watches Everybody Wants Some!! will want something from this film; nostalgic feelings, insight as to what our parents were like in university, a nice escape from 2016. Whatever it is, I think there’s a good chance that you’ll find it.
For some bonus insight, follow this link to read our interview with three of the film’s stars.