Following SXSW breakout Language Lessons, and now the laugh-out-loud hilarious Plan B, I’m officially game for literally anything Natalie Morales decides to tackle next behind the director’s chair. Though Morales didn’t pen the script (that honor belongs to iZombie story writers Joshua Levy & Prathiksha Srinivasan), she was the perfect choice to lead this female-centric comedy about two best friends stuck in a relatable and awkward scenario.
From it’s initial minutes of runtime, Plan B sets out to establish our core characters in self-deprecating ways. Sunny (Kuhoo Verma), whose wardrobe her peers describe as “like an American girl doll”, masturbates to a school biology textbook featuring the male anatomy. Conversely, Sunny’s slacker bestie Lupe (Victoria Moroles) gets berated by her religious father to remove her heavy lipstick, and he screams that her hairstyle makes Lupe look like “a depressed skunk.” Our introduction to the two girls gives us a glimpse into their personalities before the film takes us on a detour through crazy town.
Sunny’s idea of a fun night is getting her hands on a 1000-piece puzzle, but Lupe steers her more in the direction of “Disney+ and thrust.” Sunny longs to lose her virginity to the cutest guy at school, Hunter (Instatiable’s adorable blonde, Michael Provost). With her mom out of town, Sunny has the perfect opening. She invites Hunter over to her house (with significant nudging and prodding from Lupe) for a party that turns out to be quite an event. Nearly every major player from her school shows face. When Hunter comes to the door, Sunny offers him a liquid concoction she threw together with Lupe without any context: “wanna skullfuck?”
As Lupe waits for her online hookup to show face, Sunny has an awkward first sexual experience. Regrettably, this involves a guy she doesn’t even like, a Squatty Potty and a condom that smells like Fruity Pebbles. In the harsh light of day, Sunny realizes that she may indeed have a pregnancy scare. With the help of Lupe, they steal Sunny’s mom’s van and set out on a wild adventure to get a Plan B pill within 24 hours. To spoil the specifics of their journey would detract from the outrageous ridiculousness of it all, but suffice to say, Sunny and Lupe will do whatever it takes to snatch that pill.
Plan B overflows with quotable dialogue. When the duo has issues with the GPS, Sunny says “I don’t like this bitch’s tone.” After Sunny suspects she might be pregnant, her line, “My mom’s gonna kill me, and herself—it’s gonna be a murder suicide” had me dying. Every new situation is an opportunity for sharp zingers, with even drug dealers and gas station attendants being served by the smart script. The ratio of laughs-per-minute comes at a steady clip, and the pace rarely slows, if ever. Only in the final act is there a slight loss to the comedic rhythm. It favors the narrative and character relationships, which only serves to brings things full circle.
Plan B manages to capture the same lightning-in-a-bottle feeling I got when I watched movies like Superbad and Good Boys for the first time. It depicts the high school experience in a realistic way too, recalling the nostalgia of road trips and friend adventures. Meaningful morals and resolution to the movie’s threads are satisfying on every level. This isn’t just a friendship film—it also emphasizes the bonds of family, and has a beating heart of positivity and warmth. One second you will be cringing in its teenage awkwardness, and the next you will be crying from laughter. At the end of it all, I just loved everything about the platonic friendship between Lupe and Sunny. The bond between the two is driven by incredible chemistry from budding young actresses Victoria Moroles and Kuhoo Verma. Come for the humor, and stay for the heart.
Plan B writes you a prescription via Hulu on Friday, May 28th.
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