Party Animals

BOOKSMART (B+) - This is a surprisingly sweet take on the end-of-high-school bacchanalian teen comedy. It's more John Hughes than Judd Apatow, thankfully, without that mothball smell of nostalgia. Kaitlyn Dever ("Short Term 12") and Beanie Feldstein carry this off effortlessly as two nerdy A+ students who realize on the day before graduation that the party kids got into the same elite schools that they did, and so the gals are determined to cram all their high school high-jinks into one debaucherous night.

The chemistry between the two leads is just right, and they are surrounded by Hughesian archetypes brought to life by a strong supporting cast. Olivia Wilde, in her feature debut as director, keeps the energy high. Dever's Amy is particularly well carved-out as the young woman who boldly came out as a lesbian midway through high school but -- in grand movie-geek fashion -- hasn't been able to get laid. The bond that develops between her and Feldstein's Molly can be quite poignant by the end.

ROCKETMAN (B) - Taron Egerton goes all-in as Elton John in this fantastical and charming biopic, which slots nicely in the treacly "A Star Is Born" slot for 2019. Egerton embodies the heart and soul of the former unhappy, chubby boy who blossomed into the most exciting pop star of the 1970s.

You have to buy in to both the gimmick and the stretching of the truth in various places, but if you let go, you will be rewarded with a heartwarming story and the sheer joy of music- and movie-making. The presentation of songs is way out of order in spots ("Crocodile Rock" in 1970?), but poetic license is granted by John himself as executive producer, one who doesn't mind exposing his personality faults for the world to see.

Egerton and Jamie Bell, as lyricist Bernie Taupin, interact beautifully, and while their meet-cute and apparent mind-melding as songwriting partners come off quite corny, there is no denying the zing of their collaborations. And the choice to have the actors sing the songs, rather than lip-sync the originals, is a wise one. The songs feel like demos, and the scruffy vibe avoids the pitfall of having John's indelible tones taking us out of the story. (Except for the obvious closing tune of redemption.)

The framing device of John impetuously landing, in costume, at a rehab group session bears fruit narratively. This is the kind of movie where a grown man gives his child self the hug that daddy never gave him; if you can't let yourself wallow in such blatant cheese, then too bad for you.