Some of our SpoilerFreeReviews contributors are younger than others – and because of that, there’s a long list of movies that they haven’t seen. This is the first official SpoilerFreeReviews Catch-Up edition.
SWINGERS is best described as a period piece of the mid-1990s. Obviously, it technically isn’t (as it came out in 1996), but watching it in 2021 feels like a neatly packaged time capsule.
The movie’s title refers to the swing-revival of the early 1990s (and Wikipedia credits this film with bringing that revival into the cultural mainstream), and the nightlife that accompanied it. Given that we’re a year into the pandemic, I felt like I was living vicariously through Mikey and Trent as they bar-hopped and pre-gamed.
Aside from the relatively drama-heavy buddy/comedy story, the movie was a launching pad for Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, and Doug Liman – and also the phrases “you’re so money”, “that’s money”, and “Vegas, baby”. It’s hard to understate the cultural ripple effects this film must’ve caused.
The movie is funny – but unfortunately, there’s so much misogyny (…so much). Jokes and one-liners that I assume were supposed to make me laugh left me cringing. That being said, while the movie wasn’t as comedic as it once might have been, the human emotion that drives the film still remains. SWINGERS illustrates moods and feeling so well, and the characters feel so real.
If you’d like to experience (or re-experience) a cultural phenomenon, SWINGERS is available to stream on HBO Max.
