SXSW ’26: “Basic” is a Riotous Look at Modern Dating Insecurities
This review was originally published on Film Obsessive.
Writer/director Chelsea Devantez described her SXSW-premiering debut feature film, Basic, as an exploration of something we’ve all been guilty of: social media stalking our partner’s ex. It’s a dark road to go down, and one that looms larger every single day with the expanding digital footprint we all have. While Basic touches on the sadness and isolation that can come with comparing ourselves to others, it’s a romantic comedy about the many different forms of love. Funny, stylish, and sincere, Basic is nothing like its namesake adjective.
You know what it’s like when you find someone who just gets you? That’s Gloria (Ashley Park) and Nick (Taylor John Smith). They’ve been dating for about a year, and things were really good until, out of the blue, Nick starts to follow his super-hot, super-cool ex-girlfriend, Kaylinn (Leighton Meester), on Instagram. Why would he follow her again? Why doesn’t he post any pictures of Gloria on his Instagram? What could possibly be so great about Kaylinn? It’s these questions and many more that set Gloria off on what becomes a night of self-discovery.
In 2020, Devantez was set to have her short film, also named Basic, premiere at SXSW. We all remember what happened that fateful year, so Devantez didn’t get to see her short on the big screen. It was three minutes long, and those are the first three minutes of the film (reshot with the feature film actors). It’s full-circle that Devantez gets to have her world premiere in the biggest theater at the festival. What a thrill for Devantez to hear the Paramount alive with roars of laughter from a packed house. It cannot be understated how funny this script and these performances are. Meester is like a dry bolt of lightning and Park is her manic foil. The way the two play off each other is side-splitting. They’re two sides of the same coin of insecurity. They have nothing in common, and neither can fathom how Nick dated both of them. That’s the beautiful thing about relationships. They do not make sense until they do.
Courtesy of Veronica Bouza
Gloria crashes one of Kaylinn’s trivia-hosting gigs, and that sets off a wild night of accidental closure and growth for each of them. When Gloria asks why Kaylinn would spend her evening with Nick’s new girlfriend, Kaylinn replies that she wants to be a friend to Gloria. She adds that if Gloria had any friends at all, she would either be with them or they would have tagged along to this recon session. It’s a beautiful shift of perspective for both of them. Gloria is more lonely than she realizes and Kaylinn is kinder than she thinks she is. Along for the ride are Kaylinn’s friends played by Kandy Muse, Ashley Nicole Black, and Kenzie Elizabeth. They are the epitome of wise-cracking, scene-stealing rom com friends. Together, this group is the dream. They’re side-splittingly funny and utterly magnetic, the glue of Basic.
The first third of the film is focused on Gloria and her internal monologue about Kaylinn, Nick, and the whole situation. When Gloria finally comes face-to-face with Kaylinn, the point of view shifts to Kaylinn. We hear her tell the story of her relationship with Nick and how it differs from his version. Basic, beneath its impeccable comedy, is a film about how two people can live through the same situation and come out of it with entirely different perceptions. It’s because of all of the thoughts that swirl in our minds that we can’t share, even with those closest to us. Basic is a beautiful exploration of how humans can change if they want to. When confronted with their pasts, Gloria, Kaylinn, and Nick all recognize that they haven’t always been the best versions of themselves. They might not even be the best version now, but the beginning of change lies in the recognition.
Basic is the type of rom com we’ve been missing. Sharply funny, anchored by gracious performances from Meester and Park, Basic is an ode to the mess we carry around inside of us and how, sometimes, the most unexpected person can help us tidy up.
Follow me on BlueSky, Instagram, Letterboxd, TikTok, YouTube, & Facebook. Check out Movies with My Dad, a podcast recorded on the car ride home from the movies and I Think You’ll Hate This, a podcast hosted by two friends who rarely agree.
support your local film critic!
~
support your local film critic! ~
Beyond the Cinerama Dome is run by one perpetually tired film critic
and her anxious emotional support chihuahua named Frankie.
Your kind donation means Frankie doesn’t need to get a job…yet.