SXSW Review: “Basic”

Basic (Chelsea Devantez, 2026) 4 out of 5 stars

Basic, writer/director Chelsea Devantez’s feature debut, starts out as one kind of film and then, delightfully, becomes something else entirely. Throughout, it is consistent as a raucous comedy and celebration of female empowerment and agency. It’s also a clever rom-com that never forgets that, at our most “basic” level, many of us just want to be happy in love.

Ashley Park (Joy Ride) stars as Gloria, a woman in a happy, committed relationship of almost a year with Nick (Taylor John Smith, Warfare), who starts spiraling one night over the social-media posts of his ex, Kaylinn (Leighton Meester, River Wild). How could he love someone so superficial (with such flawless skin, to boot!). She’s—here’s that word again—so “basic.” Ugh!

Her increasingly frantic swiping and loud mumblings wake Nick up. They argue, and she storms out, heading to the grocery store for some stress snacks and drinks. Along the way, Gloria narrates the flashbacks that show the sweet way they met, their great times, and how she started thinking about Kaylinn more and more.

One drink leads to another and, before long, Gloria shows up at a local bar’s trivia night, hosted by Kaylinn who, among many things, is a long-time aspiring comedian. She sees Gloria (how could anyone not, given her many sheets to the wind by now), and suddenly it’s Kaylinn’s turn to turn on the voiceover. For a while, it’s her movie. Soon it will become both women’s. Which is the beauty of the affair.

The multi-talented Devantez (of “Glamorous Trash” podcast fame, among other things) is down not only for the fun but for the serious themes underlying the joyride. Why do women feel the need to compete over men and obsess over how they look? Why do we spend so much time on Instagram?

The ensemble is very much game for everything, including supporting cast members Ashley Nicole Black, Kenzie Elizabeth, Nelson Franklin, Kandy Muse, Amber Ruffin, and Devantez herself. Fast-paced and peppy, Basic has excellent technical elements to support the sharp and witty script, the icing on the cake of the terrific performances. Everyone needs friends, and I think I now want these folks as mine.

As is often the case with romantic comedies, the ending gives us resolutions that feel a little pat, though at least here we’ve seen the complexities beneath the surface. Love may triumph, but we understand it’s not always easy. It is, however, very much a good time. Just don’t stalk your partner’s ex. Then again, it could be life-changing …

Christopher Llewellyn Reed

Chris Reed is the editor of Film Festival Today. A member of both the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) and the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, Chris is, in addition, lead film critic at Hammer to Nail and the author of Film Editing: Theory and Practice.