Do Revenge

"Do Revenge" has all the makings of an attention-generating machine, combining a "Mean Girls" vibe with the stars of two popular teen franchises in Camila ...

She directs her anger at dreamy ex-boyfriend Max (Abrams), who leaked an explicit tape of her, while Hawke's Eleanor has nursed an old grudge against a girl who leveled a false accusation against her in the course of outing her. Mostly, it's a story of unlikely friendship, set against the backdrop of another private school where the parties make Roman bacchanals seem restrained and pale by comparison. Yet the plot (based on a script by Robinson and Celeste Ballard) doesn't pursue that enticing prospect with much conviction, which might explain why it runs out of steam down the stretch.

Writer and director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson on teen movies and Trojan horses.

This movie was never meant to be a slice of teen life today, it was always meant to be in a heightened reality. This movie is about revenge, but really about the wrong way to get to the right answer. I wanted it to feel kind of outside of reality and the space and time we live in now. The writing is really fun, and we wanted it to feel of this world, but we also trusted the cast to execute or enhance that dialogue to be the best version of it. I had a wonderful family but went to a hyper-competitive private school, and it really is interesting to see how your environment can morph your personality. I look back on that with a lot of regret, but also you really interrogate how and where you grew up. “I like a movie that feels popcorn,” she says, “but I also want to connect.” We wanted to live in this world where we could build a lexicon of our own. And the conceit of Strangers on a Train could be set beautifully in the high-school ecosystem. That final scene in Scream, which was another tonal touchstone for me, does such a good job of that meta, fun dialogue where you can put a character in a heightened situation; Matthew Lillard’s character gets stabbed and he says, “my parents are going to be so pissed.” That world and the feeling of those moments is what I connect to and stays with me; they’re emotionally grounded and incredibly cinematic. Early on in the creative process, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Someone Great, Thor: Love and Thunder) who co-wrote and directed the dark comedy, zeroed in on something that’s been true of great high-school movies from Clueless to Cruel Intentions: “they’re all reimaginings,” she says, noting that [Clueless is a version of Jane Austen’s Emma](https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a33300757/clueless-25th-anniversary-amy-heckerling-interview/) and Cruel Intentions offers a ’90s take on [Dangerous Liaisons](https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a7734/les-liaisons-dangereuses-broadway-revival/). It was important to us to make these characters incredibly nuanced.

Camila Mendes (Drea) · Maya Hawke (Eleanor) · Austin Abrams (Max) · Ava Capri (Carissa) · Talia Ryder (Gabbi) · Alisha Boe (Tara) · Rish Shah (Russ) · Maia Reficco ( ...

While Do Revenge is Turner’s first Netflix original, she has starred in a couple of HBO Max originals, such as when she leant her voice the animated satire, The Prince, and joined [The Staircase cast](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/the-staircase-cast-who-each-actor-is-playing-in-the-hbo-max-miniseries) as Margaret Ratlff. [Love, Victor cast](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2569221/love-victor-cast-where-youve-seen-the-actors-before), Olive on the web series T@gged, and being in the [Blast Beat cast](https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2567653/blast-beat-where-youve-seen-the-cast-before-including-moiss-arias) in 2021. [13 Reasons Why cast](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2548359/what-netflixs-13-reasons-why-cast-is-doing-next) (a much darker Netflix original teen story), but got her start in horror movies — namely her 2008 debut as Jessica Lucas’ younger self in Amusement and a supporting role in the fourth of the [Paranormal Activity movies](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/the-paranormal-activity-movies-in-order-chronologically-and-by-release-date) in 2011. Marvel cast](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/marvel-cinematic-universe/ms-marvel-cast-where-youve-seen-the-actors-before) as Kamran. [in a Broadway production of Matilda](https://playbill.com/article/what-did-this-mom-do-when-her-daughters-begged-to-audition-for-broadway) in 2015. [Netflix’s To All the Boys movies](https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2562694/to-all-the-boys-ive-loved-before-3-things-to-remember-before-watching-to-all-the-boys-always-and-forever) and from Disney+’s [Ms. He starred in three movies in 2018: the faith-based sports drama Edge of the World, the 1986 summer-set dramedy Age of Summer, and the crime thriller Shattered Memories. She made her acting debut on the [final season of Parks and Recreation](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/Watch-Parks-Recreation-Get-Futuristic-Season-7-Trailer-68983.html) in 2015, made her film debut with 2018’s Write When You Get Work, and later appeared in the 2020 sports drama, Embattled. Abrams also had small roles in Gangster Squad and The Kings of Summer from 2013 and, coincidentally, shared an onscreen romance with Camilia Mendes’ Riverdale co-star, Lili Reinhart, in 2020’s [somber teen drama](https://www.cinemablend.com/reviews/2552896/amazon-primes-chemical-hearts-review-a-teen-drama-that-fails-to-spark-a-meaningful-reaction) Chemical Hearts. That same year, Hawke worked with Fred Hechinger in Human Capital before reuniting with him as a member of Netflix’s [Fear Street Trilogy cast](https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2570091/fear-street-cast-where-you-have-seen-the-stars-of-the-netflix-horror-movies-before), starred alongside Andrew Garfield in Gia Coppola’s 2020 dramedy, Mainstream, and, in 2021, appeared opposite Vanessa Kirby in the strange thriller, Italian Studies. The latest edition of this “Hughes-meets-Hitchcock” genre splicing is the [new Netflix original movie](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/2022-netflix-movie-release-dates), Do Revenge. The two main leads of the Do Revenge cast are already well-versed in coming-of-age stories and mysterious thrillers alike.

From a '10 Things I Hate About You'–inspired paintball date to a 'Cruel' cameo, here's a breakdown of teen movie Easter eggs hidden in plain sight.

Robinson Library, in honor of Do Revenge’s director and co-writer? “All three of us really immersed ourselves in all of these films,” she says. “I feel like coming back to them as a filmmaker, I was just really taken aback about how beautiful these films are.”

"Do Revenge" starring Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke is out today on Netflix — see here a guide to all 15 iconic thrillers and teen movie references in the ...

It’s especially apparent that the Clueless montage inspired this makeover moment when Drea pencils in Eleanor's lipstick while her hair is twisted up in a towel. The result is a film that will have you rooting for them, against them, and quoting them for years to come. Spearheaded by Someone Great triple threat Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, [the Netflix film](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/new-movies-fall-2022) is teeming with iconic movie references ranging from Fatal Attraction to Clueless.

Mendes isn't a stranger to teen drama, having starred on Riverdale as Veronica Lodge since 2017. Mendes made her feature film debut in the Canadian romantic ...

He’s also done some feature film work in projects like 2013’s Gangster Squad, the adaptation of John Green’s [Paper Towns](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/paper-towns-review-2/), and [Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/scary-stories-to-tell-in-the-dark-review/). If that wasn’t enough geek cache, Turner also starred as Jean Grey in [X-Men: Apocalypse](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/x-men-apocalypse-review-2/) and [Dark Phoenix](https://www.denofgeek.com/dark-phoenix/). [Sophie Turner](https://www.denofgeek.com/sophie-turner/) was playing in the movie under wraps, she was always listed as a member of the cast. After getting her start with a bit role on Parks and Rec, Capri starred in T@gged, a webseries on the internet TV station go90. This year, Capri has appeared in the coming-of-age drama When Time Got Louder, and she’ll star in the upcoming supernatural thriller Little Rituals. [Stranger Things](https://www.denofgeek.com/stranger-things/) for the last two seasons. [Riverdale](https://www.denofgeek.com/riverdale/) as Veronica Lodge since 2017. Prior to spending time in the fictional Hawkins, Indiana, Hawke got her start in a 2017 BBC adaptation of Little Women as Jo March. While most audiences know him from his role as Ethan, seemingly one of the only normal teens on HBO’s Euphoria, Abrams has a strong body of work under his belt. Ostracized and feeling shamed, Drea decides to get revenge on her ex with the help of new friend and fellow revenge-seeker, Eleanor. Mendes made her feature film debut in the Canadian romantic comedy-drama, The New Romantic, and has also appeared in Netflix’s The Perfect Date alongside Noah Centino. Youthful touchstones like Heathers, Cruel Intentions, and Mean Girls take the intensity of hormones and the cruelty of high school students, and mix them with snappy, era-appropriate dialogue and up-and-coming stars.

'Do Revenge,' Jennifer Kaytin Robinson's new Netflix movie starring Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke, takes hints from '90s and '00s classics like 'Clueless,' ...

“I want everyone to have a different feeling of when the characters were right and when they were wrong,” Robinson says of the twist. Because Drea is Latina and a scholarship student, the audience knows the consequences for her could be devastating, and now we’re faced with a dilemma: Have we been rooting for the villain this entire time? “The story could be told with a white person at the center, but it’s not as interesting to me,” she explains, adding, “It wasn’t a coincidence that the three people [taken down by Drea and Eleanor] — Erica, Carissa, and Max — are all white people.” It would have been easy for Robinson to place a non-white protagonist at the center of Do Revenge, ignore the necessity of code switching or feelings of discomfort among elites, and still get credit for adding diversity to her film. In the end, they don’t even have to execute their plan to get revenge on Max. With that one reveal, Drea should go from being the girl you root for to the one you root against. But even as the film benefits from the intoxicating delight of vengeance, it subverts the genre in its final act. Spoiler ahead: About three-fourths of the way through the film, we learn that Drea is not just a victim, she is also a villain. “The difference between Kathryn and Drea is her empathy and heart,” Robinson explains. “The idea of someone making a mistake and trying to make amends was really important to me,” Robinson says. Drea, on the other hand, was raised by a single mother and is one of the few scholarship students at Rosehill Country Day. [high-school enemies](https://www.thecut.com/2017/05/the-most-iconic-queen-bees-in-pop-culture.html) — the purest form of petty wish fulfillment — brings a sense of euphoria for the viewer, and rooting for a bad character’s demise without feeling any guilt is a unique cinematic pleasure. But for Robinson, it was always important that Drea would not have the same level of comfort and safety as her peers.

Hairstylist Katie Ballard on the '90s-inspired aesthetic she crafted alongside the film's stars.

“It’s not a word that I used a lot until this film, but it’s basically just not a hair out of place,” says Ballard, who used “As I sat and chatted with Maya, the references that came up were actually her mom, Uma, and Taylor Swift,” says Ballard of what became “the most interesting part” of designing each character’s style. “If you picture a really slicked, high 40-inch pony, that’s the epitome of the ‘snatched’ look.” A long brunette version that matched her natural hair color during her “awkward” phase in the beginning, and a bright blonde that Ballard notes represents her “coming into her power.” Hawke and Ballard referenced the iconic Pulp Fiction bob that Uma Thurman wore for the latter, but this time in a Swift-level shade of blonde designed by wig artist Robert Miller-Navarre. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Do Revenge reimagines the familiar thrill of a plot-driven makeover scene. In the dark comedy, Hawke plays Eleanor, a wealthy outcast who comes together with Mendes’s character Drea, an insider experiencing a fall from social grace, all at the expense of their prep school enemies.

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who co-wrote and directed the film, spoke about the influences behind 'Do Revenge' and how it taps into teenage girl rage.

“I wanted it to elicit a feeling in you,” she says. It was in the very first draft that she wrote,” Robinson says of the term inspired by Glenn Close’s bunny killing turn in Fatal Attraction. “There are definitely some Reputation undertones in the film,” says Robinson, who is a fan of the singer. “That feeling that it hurts to exist starts in those middle school and high school years, but it doesn’t go away. “We really blew it out and wanted it to feel color soaked,” she says. “I heard her say it and was just like, ‘Yeah, Maya, that’s perfect,’” she says. “She really brought so much insight and nuance to the character,” she says. “Cami really created her character visually: the hair, makeup, the snatched wardrobe,” she says. “They’re very tapped in and really understand the demographic,” Robinson says. The Cruel Intentions star plays the movie’s only adult character, a “juicy and fun role” for the former teen queen that was “That came because Netflix told me to cut [the line] ‘that dumb bitch’ and I thought it would be funny to start off the frame with that license plate,” she says. “It was one of those things where it almost immediately clicked,” Robinson tells TIME when recalling the original pitch to adapt the novel.

Sophie Turner screams swear words in Jennifer Kaytin Robinson's "Do Revenge," but Netflix executives were less than thrilled.

The Do Revenge Twitter review starring Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke will give the movie a much-needed boost. The film apprises Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers ...

[Drea](/topic/drea)and [Eleanor](/topic/eleanor). [Maya Hawke](/topic/maya-hawke)and [Camila Mendes](/topic/camila-mendes). The film's synopsis reads that after a covert bust-up, following a leaked sex tape of Drea (Camila Mandes) by her boyfriend and Eleanor (Maya Hawke), outcasted for a rumor of kissing a girl, they form a team to go after each other's oppressors. Indian equities tumbled close to 2% on Friday, tracking weakness in global markets, as stronger-than-expected economic readings in the US raised expectations of aggressive rate increases by the American central bank at next week’s policy meeting. What most awe-struck the fans were the amusing one-liner and clever plot and the pompous characters of Most fans were impressed with the eminence of the characters and the movie's storyline.

"Thor: Love and Thunder" co-writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson revealed how she approached "Do Revenge" differently than a Marvel movie.

“Tell me what you think: I think the sequel should be ‘Deux Revenge’ and it’s about Sophie Turner coming for Drea and Eleanor.” “It’d be fun to see Drea and Eleanor do a road trip movie,” Hawke teased. That is what I like the most and so if that comes in the form of a $200 million Marvel movie, awesome. “I would love to direct a big movie like Marvel or DC, but I think for me, it’s about the stories that I connect to,” Robinson told IndieWire. If that comes in the form of a $5 million Blumhouse movie, also awesome. The ensemble cast including Austin Abrams, Sophie Turner, Ava Capri, Maia Reficco, Paris Berelc, Talia Ryder, Jonathan Daviss, Rish Shah, and Alisha Boe, even dubbed themselves the “Revengers” with a special nod to Marvel’s “Avengers.”

22 details you probably missed in 'Do Revenge,' Netflix's new teen movie starring Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke · There's a clip of Drea talking about positivity ...

](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0139134/) ](https://www.insider.com/mean-girls-cool-details-you-never-got) [Taylor Swift's](https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-gay-songs-queer-lyrics-2022-9), ["Look What You Made Me Do." "It was less about the name-iness of the artists or the songs, and it was way more about, does the song bring you back to a time?" [In the book](https://www.insider.com/love-and-gelato-differences-book-vs-movie-netflix-2022-6), two strangers agree to commit murders for one another, which is similar to Eleanor and Drea's plot to "do each other's revenge." In the "Do Revenge" scene, Carissa is wearing Birkenstocks, which is also a callback to Drea calling Carissa a "human Birkenstock." ](https://www.insider.com/heathers-movie-cast-then-and-now-2018-1) The headlines include "Math: Do We Need It?" ["Clueless,"](https://www.insider.com/cool-fun-facts-you-didnt-know-about-clueless-trivia) The Muff's pop-punk cover of Kim Wilde's "Kids of America" plays as Cher drives around in her Jeep and shops. ["Barbie Girl"](https://genius.com/Aqua-barbie-girl-lyrics) by Aqua. ["Clueless"](https://www.insider.com/clueless-interesting-details-you-missed-fun-facts) and later 2000s teen flicks like ["Mean Girls." ["Strangers on a Train"](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25622296-strangers-on-a-train) during tennis camp.