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Movie Review: Netflix’s “Senior Year”

Updated: Apr 29, 2023

Kalaia Jackson, Staff Writer

Courtesy of Getty Images


Miss high school already? Well, Senior Year, starring Rebel Wilson and Justin Hartley, might be the movie for you! As a college freshman and recent high school graduate, what better way to watch a movie that perfectly captures friendship, crushes, and the excitement of graduating from high school?


Angourie Rice plays the young Stephanie Conway, who is fresh off the boat from Australia and is obsessed with becoming the perfect American high schooler. She wants to be friends with all the popular kids, become head cheerleader, date the football captain, and even win prom queen!


She starts her quest for popularity at Harding High School. By her senior year, she had achieved every goal she had set for herself back when she was a freshman. Well…everything except winning prom queen.


It is the last month of school before Stephanie graduates, and she could not be more excited. The only issue is that she is in constant competition with Tiffany Blanchette, the typical mean girl and ex-girlfriend of Stephanie’s boyfriend, Blaine Balbo (whose young version is played by Tyler Barnhardt). Tiffany is envious of Stephanie’s life and goes as far as sabotaging her cheer stunt, which “lands” Stephanie in a coma.


Fast-forward 20 years and Stephanie, now played by Rebel Wilson, wakes up from her coma in a delirious mess. When she first saw herself in the mirror, she could not believe that she had aged and was no longer the peppy teen.


Despite losing two decades of her life, Stephanie does not miss a beat and instantly wants to go back to high school to claim her crown as prom queen. However, there were two things in her way: her age and the fact that Harding High no longer has a prom king and queen.


Her friend, Martha, played by Mary Holland, ended up becoming the principal of Harding High. After becoming so devastated by what had happened to Stephanie, she ultimately banned the race for prom king and queen. Martha believed that by eliminating such a competitive event from the school, what happened to Stephanie would never repeat in the future.


Determined and strong-willed, Stephanie eventually convinces Martha to let her re-enroll as a senior at Harding High and make up for the month of school she had missed.


Initially, Stephanie is ogled at by most of the student body, until she meets her new partners in crime: Janet, Neil, and Yaz. With the help of these three, Stephanie is able to get the high school experience she missed and deserved.


Senior Year is a movie that was released on Netflix and was #1 on Netflix’s global movie charts for two weeks. Enjoy the movie… it is definitely worth it!

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