A little bit of paranoia is not uncommon in a relationship, especially when you actually fall for someone. However, finding comfort in who you are within a relationship is key, especially when your partner has a past. Basic explores what happens when you do the opposite, pushing lead actress Ashley Park down a road that only creates problems. When she becomes obsessed with her boyfriend’s ex, we follow her on a weird night out. While it hits some cliches or ideas touched on by classics in the genre, Basic becomes a very funny comedy about the ways women are more similar than they like to admit. Sometimes our fears manifest because of factors within and outside the relationship.
What is Basic about?
Gloria (Ashley Park) has been in a relationship with Nick (Taylor John Smith) for almost a year. The two seem compatible, and she’s ready to take the next steps. However, one day Nick’s ex-girlfriend, Kaylinn (Leighton Meester), follows him on Instagram. Worse, he follows her back.
As Gloria’s paranoia starts to get the better of her, she decides to follow Kaylinn. She turns up at a trivia night and comedy show where Kaylinn is performing, and to Gloria’s surprise, Kaylinn recognizes her. The two end up spending a night together, swapping stories and experiences with Nick to understand what makes him drive each of them crazy.
The relationship between Meester and Park drives the movie.
Basic gets a ton of mileage out of its two lead performances. While it takes Meester a minute to play her actual character, she’s excellent in the caricature version created in the mind of Park’s character. It forces Meester to play two completely different characters, and she finds a way to make both of them work brilliantly.
Meanwhile, Park continues to excel as a physical comedian. The former Broadway star has always been underrated, and she embraces her ability to sell a joke solely on her facial reaction. During one scene, she drinks a pint of melted Ben & Jerry’s, only to be shocked by the message that comes across her phone. Without the ability to speak, she sells the entire scene with a prop and her facial expression, and it was one of the funniest moments of SXSW.
Both actresses have been criminally underrated after their initial breakthroughs, but director and writer Chelsea Devantez always puts them in the position to succeed. She knows Basic is at its best when her actresses are given free reign, and both still have comedic timing like few of their peers.
Basic has a fun “one crazy night” plotline, even if it’s a bit derivative.
By having the two women meet in person and have their own wild night together, Basic hits a few tropes in its narrative. It executes them well, but it’s not the most original story. Even so, you love to see the two actresses go to a drag show, hit up a small diner, and take ridiculous pictures in an alleyway. As Meester teaches Park’s character to own her sexuality, Park pushes Meester to embrace her talents. While the two women would be framed as “frenemies” in lesser movies, Basic knows these women should just vibe together.
To its credit, Basic does have a clever spin on the High Fidelity style of reliving a relationship. While we first get the perspective of the dude who could not keep a relationship together, giving Meester narrative control for an act gets us closer to the “truth.” Basic does not pretend that her version of events is what actually happened, but giving her perspective still does a lot for us to find the middle ground.
We also get a very fun cast to help deliver on the one-crazy-night approach. There are a half dozen great comedians scattered throughout Basic, including Amber Ruffin, Nelson Franklin, Ashley Nicole Black, and Jon Gabrus. Even a former contestant from RuPaul’s Drag Race makes an appearance. By putting so many fun figures into the movie, Devantez never forces the film to hang on our leads and instead invites shenanigans from the cast to add to the madness.
Using the unreliable narrator aspect is helpful in showing a different perspective for the story. At the same time, it’s still a common piece of the girls-only relationship comedy. Basic still executes the moments well, but we’d love to see Devantez try to break some of the formulas the next time out. Basic is a fun crowd-pleaser, but we think the director has a better film in her.
Case in point, her visuals are far more impressive than your standard comedies. The use of lighting helps frame and reframe conversations throughout Basic. Additionally, the costume designs are incredibly unique, and Devantez finds unique voices to populate her world. The movie is funny enough to keep anyone on board; we can feel that Devantez can push to another level on her next feature.
Is Basic worth watching?
Yes, Basic is an extremely fun little comedy about women coming to grips with their anxieties and frustrations with the men in their lives. It’s not one that necessarily blames the dudes for where these insecurities come from, but Basic also knows that friends are the way through these issues. Park and Meester are too good to ignore this one, and their performances are why you should check this out.
Basic screened at the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival, which ran from March 12-18 in Austin, TX.
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