Kaitlyn Dever Talks “Refreshing” Storytelling Approach Of Olivia Wilde Directed ‘Booksmart’

Whether it’s her scene stealing work in Justified or as part of the comedic family of Last Man Standing, Kaitlyn Dever has shown she has considerable talent. Dever aims to continue her first rate resume with Booksmart, a highly praised comedy directed by first time feature filmmaker Olivia Wilde. For Dever, the Booksmart script was absolutely “honest and real on the page.”

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The narrative centers on Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever), studious teens who have forfeited their high school social life in favor of academic excellence. It’s a sacrifice that they believe, though worth it, has its negative aspects, and the pair decide to live it up in one memorable and raucous evening.

Coming of age films are a wonderful genre, but unfortunately very few of these stories are female centric. Though Olivia Wilde talked about how buddy cop films like Beverly Hills Cop influenced Booksmart, the feature’s heart and soul lies in the journey of these two off the cuff and witty youths.

During a screening of the film at Downtown Los Angeles’ Ace Hotel, the actress talked about Booksmart’s storytelling approach. “It was so refreshing to read a story about women who were actually funny,” said Dever whose film credits include Laggies and Short Term 12. “As a woman I don’t get sent comedic roles – hardly ever. So that was really exciting to me. And then also the friendship was really exciting for me.”

Click on the media bar to hear Dever elaborate on why she wanted to be a part of Booksmart.

Booksmart, produced by Jessica Elbaum and Will Ferrell, opens nationwide May 24.