The pacing suffers in the second act. The series of encounters with dealers and strangers drags, and some supporting characters feel like archetypes (the predatory older guy, the sassy but wise burnout) rather than fully realized people. The low-budget production is occasionally visible in the cinematography, with some scenes feeling under-lit and flat. Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
In the crowded genre of teen coming-of-age films, Good Girls Get High attempts to stand out by stripping away the glossy sheen of a John Hughes movie and replacing it with the gritty, anxious texture of a sleepless suburban night. Directed by Laura Thies, the film follows two overachieving best friends, Abby (Isabelle Fuhrman) and Sam (Sam McCarthy), on the worst night of their lives: the evening before their high school graduation. The title is ironic. Abby and Sam are the quintessential "good girls"—student council presidents, tutors, and virgins who have spent four years building pristine resumes for colleges that expect perfection. Their plan for a "last hurrah" is simple: finally smoke weed for the first time. However, a botched deal leads them on a desperate, increasingly absurd hunt for a new hookup. Over one chaotic night, they navigate sleazy college guys, a volatile drug dealer (played with manic energy by Bria Vinaite of The Florida Project ), and the crushing fear that their carefully constructed futures are one mistake away from collapse. Strengths: Authenticity and Anxiety What the film does best is capture the specific, visceral panic of being a high-achieving teenager. The stakes for Abby and Sam aren't just about getting high; they’re about the terrifying prospect of failing the expectations of everyone around them. The dialogue crackles with authentic teenage awkwardness—the way friends half-communicate, hide their fears, and then snap at each other under pressure.
Release Date: 2018 (Limited Release/Digital) Directors: Laura Thies Starring: Isabelle Fuhrman, Sam McCarthy, Romy Byrne, Kate Robertson, Bria Vinaite Good Girls Get High
In the end, Good Girls Get High is a snapshot of that terrifying limbo between high school and the unknown future. It doesn't offer easy answers, but it offers a lot of heart—and a cautionary tale about why you should probably just buy your weed from the friend of a friend you actually trust.
Isabelle Fuhrman delivers a grounded performance as Abby, the more tightly-wound of the pair, whose perfectionism masks a deep fear of being ordinary. Sam McCarthy balances her well as Sam, the more impulsive friend whose "rebellion" is a shallow costume. Their friendship feels real, flawed, and tested. The film wisely avoids moralizing; it doesn’t say drugs are bad, but rather that being young, lost, and desperate to control the uncontrollable is a recipe for disaster. For all its indie authenticity, Good Girls Get High treads a well-worn path. Anyone who has seen Booksmart , Lady Bird , or even Superbad will recognize the beats: the good girls wanting to be bad, the single night of escalating mishaps, the car trouble, the confrontation, and the tearful reconciliation at dawn. While the film predates Booksmart by a year, it lacks that film’s frenetic visual style and razor-sharp wit. The pacing suffers in the second act
The Edge of Seventeen , Eighth Grade , or the more grounded moments of Booksmart .
Fast-paced comedy, slick production values, or a plot that doesn't rely heavily on teenage miscommunication and panic. Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5) In the crowded genre of
Good Girls Get High is not a groundbreaking film, but it is an honest one. It won't replace the teen classics, but it serves as a thoughtful, sometimes painful look at the anxiety behind the "good girl" mask. It’s for viewers who appreciate character-driven indies over high-concept comedies.