Almost Popular follows Susie (Ruby Rose Turner) and Bobbie (Reid Miller), who realise that no one knows who they are and that they need to become popular. They soon find a way to become popular for a short time, but Vicki (Ellodee Carpenter) the main popular girl discovers how they became popular. Susie and Bobbie team up with one of the popular girls, Renee (Isabella Ferreira), who wants revenge on Vicki and the pop girls group. Renee is tired of being pushed to the side so she teaches Susie and Bobbie how to navigate the ways of being popular.

Almost Popular, was a very good film and fun to watch. The cast is made up of young, talented actors, and I thought Ruby and Reid had especially great comedic chemistry together. On screen, they were full of energy and very expressive, not just through their lines and excited squeals, but also through their facial expressions and actions, which made their performances even more entertaining. I also enjoyed seeing how close Susie and Bobbie are. For example, the small interactions between them, like when they would say funny or subtle things to each other, even while the movie was focused on other events. This really highlighted their bond. The story has lots of funny moments and clever self-aware comedy. I was slightly surprised at how many rude jokes were included and it reminded me of a lot of Mean Girls humour, but not quite as rude. Personally, I actually think it would have been even funnier if they pushed the jokes a little more, but I still really liked the cheeky humour and the innuendos. It made the film stand out because most teen comedies nowadays don’t really take risks with jokes, it was good to see one that wasn’t afraid to be slightly more daring.

The cinematography in the movie was great especially the camera angles that made it feel like we, as the viewers, were on the phone or a box they were opening. It was a unique and creative choice that stood out to me and the outfits and shoes were also good in this film. The plot is self-aware and even makes references to Mean Girls. The soundtrack is also good and has lots of fun pop songs. One thing the story does really well is surprise the audience with a few twists. For example, one character has a romantic ‘Cinderella’ storyline, but it’s not who you would expect.

Another time, it tricks the audience into an emotional moment. You think everything is going to be okay, but then a character says no. It’s shocking at first, but it also sets up a funnier moment later on. Ellodee Carpenter was great as Vicki—she played the character with a sharp, calculated meanness but in a way that was masked by just enough fake affection to keep others off guard.  When watching, I found myself wanting to experience the parties and American school lifestyle at times.

The plot has a few minor issues throughout. The overall message is about standing up for yourself, staying true to who you are, and being accepted However, I found the final part of the inspirational ending speech a little unclear. One of the bullies also seemed, at times, harsher to her own friends than to her classmates, which felt slightly inconsistent. Another small issue was the portrayal of the mum, who came across as very similar to the mum in Mean Girls—a bit more originality there would have been nice. Still, these are only small criticisms in what is otherwise a enjoyable movie.

Overall, Almost Popular is a fun, self-aware teen comedy with a fantastic cast and a good story. Ruby Rose Turner and Reid Miller are the stars and do an amazing job of bringing their characters to life. Their energy and expressions make the film even more enjoyable to watch, and they have great chemistry together. It’s funny, slightly rude, entertaining and has some good romantic elements. I highly recommend watching if you are looking for a fun current teen movie!