Imagine going to a restaurant where the food looks fantastic, but is utterly tasteless. And then imagine that critics try to justify it by telling you this chef famously doesn't do 'flavor.' That's the best analogy I can come up with for why this boring film has a Metacritic score of 84. (Read the IMDb user reviews for a much more balanced, nuanced take on this film).
The 80s nostalgia may be spot on for some Americans. I was in uni in the UK in the 80s and it was Not. Like. This. The 80s music is under-utilized here, as is cinema and sport iconography. These would be the redeeming features you would look for in something so devoid of story. I like Richard Linklater, this is the only film of his I have not enjoyed to date, but if there is something here that I am not getting, then a quick survey of the critics hasn't revealed it to me. You can have nostalgia and story (American Graffiti), but Everybody Wants Some doesn't quite nail the former and disregards the latter.
In a word, dull.
The 80s nostalgia may be spot on for some Americans. I was in uni in the UK in the 80s and it was Not. Like. This. The 80s music is under-utilized here, as is cinema and sport iconography. These would be the redeeming features you would look for in something so devoid of story. I like Richard Linklater, this is the only film of his I have not enjoyed to date, but if there is something here that I am not getting, then a quick survey of the critics hasn't revealed it to me. You can have nostalgia and story (American Graffiti), but Everybody Wants Some doesn't quite nail the former and disregards the latter.
In a word, dull.