September 22, 2022
Lesbian Twitter Reacts to New Queer Netflix Teen Romcom 'Do Revenge'
Andrea Marks Joseph READ TIME: 3 MIN.
"Do Revenge," which just dropped on Netflix and quickly rose the ranks to reach no. 1 on the streamer's global most-watched charts, already feels very much like an immediate teen classic, gloriously combining Gen-Z humor with all of our favorite tropes from cult teen cinema of the 90s and 00s.
Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson ("Someone Great"), the film is set at a private high school and follows a fallen-from-grace it girl who cooks up a scheme with a new student by trading the revenge plans they have for their enemies.
The twisty and fashion-forward film is mostly inspired by "Mean Girls," "Clueless" and "John Tucker Must Die," but comes with an thrilling dash of Alfred Hitchcock's 1951 film "Strangers on a Train" (based on the novel from out author Patricia Highsmith) among many other iconic cinematic pop culture moments. It's also pumped with a killer soundtrack to match, recalling some of the most exciting moments from those films.
With can't-look-away chemistry between co-leads Camila Mendes ("Riverdale") and Maya Hawke ("Stranger Things"), and Hawke playing a queer character enacting revenge on the girl she once had a crush on, Lesbian Twitter has caught fire with feelings. Below are some of the best reactions to "Do Revenge."
While watching "Do Revenge," you're hit with the delightfully overwhelming sense that the details are everything. Robinson, who also cowrote the script, references "Legally Blonde" with Elle Woods' fluffy pink pen, Cher Horowitz giving "Clueless" new-girl Tai a tour of their high school's cliques, and pastel school uniforms reminiscent of "Heathers" –all while her characters coin terms like "Glennergy" (Glenn Close Energy) and "Revenge Mommy," and pamper an emotional support iguana named Oscar Winner Olivia Coleman.
Twitter has, of course, displayed their fierce adoration for Eleanor (Hawke), a casually queer young woman who behaves playfully after a glamorous makeover to infiltrate the popular crew, beginning a ruthless game of revenge. And how could they not, when she was introduced like this?
The ever-ready fandom of sapphic media has selected Eleanor's love interest Gabbi (played by the effortlessly cool Talia Ryder –no relation to Winona) as their beloved crush of the month, welcoming Ryder with a parade of enthusiastic fancams:
Eleanor and Gabbi quoting Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" in conversation has by no means gone unnoticed by Swifties and sapphics (and the community at the magical intersection of the two) alike:
The unlikely friendship and powerful chemistry between Eleanor and Drea (Camila Mendes performing at the height of comedic gold) has taken Twitter by storm.
This would not be a true round-up of "Do Revenge" reactions without representation of the very reasonable responses to Sarah Michelle Gellar's role as principal of the high school at the heart of this story.
...And a moment of appreciation for "Girls Can Kiss Now" author and lesbian pop culture connoisseur Jill Gutowitz "Do Revenge"-ing the "I don't want to BeReal, I want to___" trend.
"Do Revenge" is an excellent, deeply queer film that deserves to be celebrated on every platform. We know that queer audiences will be discussing the many shocking plot twists, shopping looks inspired by the most iconic scenes, and referencing both Sophie Turner's "I don't do cocaine! I don't even know what it looks like!" and Drea's "I'm shocked! This is shocking news!" proclamation for many years to come.