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Do Revenge is an odd film. It is set in an American High School and features two teenage girls who have been picked on and humiliated by others in their social circles, who then decide to do each other’s revenge so that the the actions can’t be traced back to them.

If you think this sounds derivative of movies like Mean Girls and Heathers then you have no idea. This film borrows very very heavily from both of these as well as Clueless, Ten Things I Hate About You, She’s All That, Cruel Intentions, Scream and of course Strangers on a Train. It isn’t clear if the film makers are deliberately homaging these films or just ripping them off but, despite the obviousness of the references, it feels a lot like the latter.

Also, for a film about young women seeking to get back at those who selfishly victimised them, it isn’t really clear who the bullies are. The protagonist seems to be as bad as those we should be siding with her against. There is a make over scene when the fashionable girl and the dowdy girl get together as well, which the dialogue states is problematic before offering the justification ‘yes but it’s fun’ (which to be fair it is) and it seems in places to be leaning into lesbian stereotypes.

Then a little over half way through it switches with a twist you don’t see coming because you thought the movie was more vacuous than that. Suddenly knowing that the film is knowing does reframe a lot, if not all, of what came before. From this point on it is a very different and it has to be said much better movie. It isn’t as good as it could be; I do think that ultimately it lacks the courage of its convictions but I applaud it for where is choses to go.

In the end Do Revenge fails to measure up to most of the films it seems to be demonstrably measuring itself against but it is quite fun. It has one adult character who is sadly underwritten, especially when you consider who is playing her, but the performances from the young cast are good. There have been better teen movies even in the last five years (this is no Booksmart) but it is bold enough to let it’s female leads be a bit deplorable while still keeping you on their side. Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke carry everything well and it is nice to see Talia Ryder on screen again (she had a small part in West Side Story too) although I hope she doesn’t get stuck in films like this when her brilliant performance in Never Rarely Sometimes Always showed she can do so much more.

It is an odd movie then, I stand by that but even if some of the actors have done better (why is no one calling this Stranger Things on a Train?) but you could do worse.