Eric Stoltz directs Skyler Gisondo, Olivia Holt and Bruce Dern in this sweet romantic teen comedy where an ambitious female student tries to get an overly dedicated nerd classmate to be elected to the adult board of education.

Here’s a film just happy being what it is. You can see echoes of Rushmore but it has none of Wes Anderson’s artier pretentiousness. The core of Election but without the vicious satirical bite that Payne marinates his universe in. The adolescent seductiveness of Some Kind of Wonderful but lacking Hughes’ need to make the kids maturer or hornier than the adults. This stays colourful, cute, innocent and charming as it tells its tale. It helps that Holt and Gisondo are hugely adorable presences that you just want to see the movie do its simple, unfussy cycle and let them end up together once all pre-ordained obstacles are leapt. Gisondo was a stand-out in Santa Clarita Diet. This was clearly filmed before but now he has hit adulthood he really deserves a few shots at leading some more comedies. The below score is generous but reflects how easily the movie won me over and made my night.

7

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