Speech & Debate

Speech & Debate seems like it wants to go for the jugular and say something profound about small town teen life, but every time it gets close, it chickens out and settles for dull clichés.

The cast certainly seems game. Our three teen leads are appealing, charming, and a joy to watch, but the pedestrian script doesn't do them any favors. It wants to have something to say about gay issues, teen pregnancy, pedophilia, religion, detached parents, and overly moralistic school boards, but it never digs into one of them below the surface and the whole film becomes sort of like a light episode of Glee.

This is not to say that Speech & Debate is without amusing moments, but the laughs aren't big enough to function as a comedy and the drama isn't real or powerful enough to function as a drama. Speech & Debate just sort of...is. In its goal to be inoffensive, light, and watchable for all audiences, it no longer has any bite.

This is a Netflix pick at best.

I really like coming of age movies so I googled for some and stumbled upon this one. The summary really won me over but I wanted to do some investigating before I proceeded to watch it. I got some mixed reviews and was skeptical. However, after watching it, I was blown away. I loved it. Although it wasn't 10/10 for me and I am no movie expert, the way the movie was made and the originality of the characters despite having clichéd labels was on-point. I felt a sense of relief when I finished watching it which is always awesome. So please go and watch it.

I see people who gave it a low rating because it isn't representative of real speech and debate clubs. That's true but the movie is about totally different themes. It's about adults refusing to acknowledge real issues and ignoring teens who are literally shouting to be heard. I think the movie did a great job at portraying this. I think the characters are fun and loveable as well.

Nerds, come get your jush!!!!!! High school is such a strange institution where adults are responsible for nurturing your dreams and yet gatekeep them infuriatingly. This trio of an awkward journalism guy, a bone-deep theatre kid, and a newcomer queer are told NOPE at every turn but they never stop never stopping!!!!! If you were any of those things yourself in high school, you gotta watch this. It pokes at your soul and reminds you to keep dancing until your dreams materialize. The dialogue is witty, the comedy is sharp, and Kal Penn wears a suit! It's a big fat slice of nerd life and they just get know-it-all high school extracurricular culture so so right.

Don't get me started on the cameos. I have no idea how this movie gave us Lin-Manuel Miranda on a VHS dressed as a genie and didn't get more attention. That's like gotta be lifted from a fanfic somewhere. And that wasn't even my favorite cameo!

(End of movie spoiler) Kristin mfing Chenoweth laid down a track for this!!!!!!!! Nurse!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you are coming to see a movie about debate then this is not a movie for you. The main focus of the film is about the three teens that make up the debate team and their struggles. I love how light hearted and funny this film is, and how the kids form a great bond with one another!