Who would have thought that a mockery of absurd woke culture would be found in Netflix’s latest nostalgia-riddled rom-com?
“Senior Year,” starring Rebel Wilson, centers on Stephanie, a former high school cheerleader who wakes up from a 20-year coma after a tragic accident during a cheer routine. Within mere moments of coming back to life, Stephanie is shocked by the drastic cultural differences between 2002 and now. Throughout the movie, she attempts to climb back up the social ladder of Harding High School while attempting to wrap her head around the politically correct practices that are commonplace in today’s culture.
The movie is simple, comprised of teen rom-com stereotypes, forced nostalgia, master of comedic timing Rebel Wilson, and a Britney Spears dance number (because who doesn’t love those?). The most surprising element, however, comes from its mocking but accurate depiction of today’s high schoolers plagued by the latest trends and pseudo-intellectualism.
The cheer squad no longer rallies for school spirit but lectures on the dangers of plastic straws. Every member of the squad is the cheer captain. A display in the lobby showcases a dolphin made of tampons. Wilson’s character even received a crash course in which words are and aren’t allowed to be said anymore.
The queen bee is no longer a cheerleader, but a self-absorbed influencer named Bri with a massive online following and an androgynous boyfriend. She educates her followers on “ageism” as a means to bully the 37-year-old Stephanie.
At one point, Bri explains that she doesn’t care about popularity and is only trying to build the “most authentic, socially conscious, body-positive, environmentally aware, and economically compassionate brand that’s a home for inclusion, focused fashion, food, and fun-filled lifestyles.” What a mouthful.
Audiences were surprised and a bit confused by the recurring jokes at the expense of woke culture.
As the movie goes on, we are led to believe that the antagonist is Stephanie’s high-school-nemesis-turned-PTA-president, Tiffany. The real villain of the story, however, is Stephanie’s best friend and current high school principal, Martha. Played by Mary Holland, Martha has succeeded in tearing down the traditions of American high school in an attempt to make Harding High a “woketopia” of sorts.
Perhaps the most dangerous radical change Martha enforced under her reign as principal was eliminating the tradition of electing a prom king and queen. She explains that she views this competition as a danger that doesn’t reflect the values she imposes on the school.
“Without any winners, there are no losers. I have created a school with no losers,” she says.
Stephanie responds that she had more fun being in a coma for 20 years than living in this overly sensitive version of high school for 20 minutes.
“Senior Year” pokes fun at the idea that there should be no single winner and that everyone gets a trophy, but it’s a belief held with all seriousness by many of today’s far-left activists. This ideology is the real danger, not competition. There aren’t any winners, but there are losers, and they are the young Americans growing up in bubbles similar to Harding High.
‘Senior Year’ is a lighthearted and inconsequential film to watch casually. Still, it’s hard to believe that a movie doing anything but praising and normalizing wacky far-left practices got the green light from Netflix.
