The college experience is ripe for all sorts of cinematic treatment. Mostly, college/university life is focused, obviously, on the student body. Quite literally, it’s even focused on the bodies of the students. Most movies of this ilk are sex comedies, often of the raunchy variety. Moreover, the have largely a male gaze. Well, Crshd (opening on Friday) is here to change all of that. This movie takes the college sex comedy and subverts it with a female point of view. The result is a very creative, very funny, and even very moving experience. Despite the specificity of the characters, the desires and issues on hand are absolutely universal. The film is, as mentioned, a comedy, this one set at a small liberal arts college. In broad strokes, the plot concerns three friends, and specifically the desire of the awkward one Izzy Alden (Isabelle Barbier), to lose her virginity, with the help of best friends, Anuka Deshpande (Deeksha Ketkar) and Fiona Newman (Sadie Scott). Taking place on the last day and night of freshman year for the girls, the trio determines that their only hope for Izzy is getting into an exclusive, invite-only “Crush Party.” There, Izzy can hook up, hopefully with Nolan (Abdul Seidu), who she lusts after, but so too can Fiona, who has her eyes on the cool girl at school. Of course, to get there, wacky adventures must be had, including ones with alcohol, drugs, miscommunications, and mix ups, though it’s all done with a surprising amount of realism. Even when things get crazy, they’re still super grounded and believable. Emily Cohn writes and directs, with cinematography by Saaniya Zaveri, while Matthew Liam Nicholson handles the score. Supporting players include Raph Fineberg, L.H. González, Peter Lawson Jones, Dylan Rogers, Jerry Lee Tucker, and more. The combination of strong acting from the three leads and filmmaker Emily Cohn’s creative storytelling make this movie absolutely irresistible. Isabelle Barbier plays awkward incredibly well, reacting hilariously to the more forward and sexual suggestions made by Sadie Scott. Scott, who is, in my humble opinion, best in show, mixes a quirkiness and a sexiness that may well make her a star, going forward. Their scenes together are full of life and ring absolutely true. Both hold your attention when alone, of course, but together, it’s amazing. Deeksha Ketkar is great too, at her best when interacting with Izzy, though her subplot alone […]