There is a sub-genre of film that is rarely talked about, but we all secretly do enjoy it – the proverbial “dumb” comedy – from the era of slapstick to the modern stoner comedy, there have been films that rely on physicality in implausible situations to entertain audiences, opting for more simplistic methods of getting laughs, understanding the clever word-play and intelligent satire isn’t the only means of provoking joyful reactions from the audience. This can best be exemplified by Never Goin’ Back, an independent comedy that probably most adequately be described as “Clueless meets Cheech and Chong” – a ridiculously elaborate farce without much tact or intelligence, but an abundance of diverting, reckless enjoyment, it doesn’t necessarily rise above its foolishness, but openly acknowledges and gladly embraces it. Never Goin’ Back is certainly not a film for everyone, especially those looking for a film with some deeper meaning or a certain dignified wit. Never Goin’ Back is certainly not that film – it is endlessly silly and often very crude, but it does have a certain admirable charm that makes this a truly entertaining experience, and a film those who watch it will struggle to forget. Its independent comedy at its very best, and I loved it tremendously.

Never Goin’ Back is about Angela (Maia Mitchell) and Jessie (Camila Morrone), two high-school dropouts living in working-class Texas. In order to support themselves and their unconventional habits, they work as waitresses at a local diner for an empathetic boss who has a soft spot for them. Jessie’s brother, Dustin (Joel Allen), also a perpetual slacker (but one without nearly as much shrewdness as our protagonists) decides to get involved in drug dealing – which results in them getting robbed by a disgruntled associate – now our main duo has to deal with the fact that they need to find rent, they have been fired from their jobs and they are beyond broke. Their trip to the beach is only a few days away, so they need to find a way to reconcile their odd circumstances and find a solution to their problems that will get them out of their rapid-descent into trouble. Always at each other’s side, and armed with a number of elaborate plans and an unflinching sense of friendship, there is a likelihood that Maia and Angela may just make it out unscathed – the same can’t be said for those who cross their paths, however.

The key to the success of Never Goin’ Back is the chemistry of the two leading performers – both Maia Mitchell and Camila Morrone are excellent as the two main protagonists, unconventional heroes who we adore even though they aren’t the most admirable of individuals. Their performances single-handedly elevate the film – they are so effortlessly natural and charming without venturing into the realm of stereotype – it isn’t often we get such a unique representation of teenage girls – far too regularly, we are witness to young female characters who care too much about their appearance, their popularity and their love life – Angela and Jessie just don’t care. Their biggest ambition is, in the word of one of them “to go to the beach, smoke some ganja and eat some doughnuts” – its this very simple but unconventional characterization that conjures up the easy-going hilarity of the film. Performances from others, such as Saturday Night Live‘s resident oddball Kyle Mooney, and Joel Allen as the dim-witted wannabe drug-dealer are very good as well and contribute to the general peculiarity of this film.

In all honesty, there isn’t much beneath the surface of Never Goin’ Back that really needs to be discussed – this is a classic stoner comedy, but one that does have some self-awareness, and while it never sets out to atone for the problems with the sub-genre, it does embrace its flaws and finds charm in the most unexpected of places. This is a traditional caper of a film – it is set mostly on a single day, and follows our protagonists as they travail their small town and encounter a number of unique characters, some necessary to aid them in their journey, others adding to their problems. The structural form of this film is something we’ve seen many times before – our protagonists need something, go on a series of misadventures encountering a number of pratfalls and obstacles along the way, and eventually resolving it better than they had previously thought. As far as stoner comedies go, Never Goin’ Back is quite standard, but that doesn’t mean its trite or dull – rather, it imbues a taut sub-genre with an unexpected joie de vivre and frantic cheerfulness.

There is nothing particularly unique about Never Goin’ Back other than the fact that it is a cheerful and optimistic film that never takes itself too seriously, but if we look a little deeper, this film isn’t necessarily as mindlessly quaint as it appears. Never Goin’ Back doesn’t say much, but what it does say, it does so with hilarious charm and almost meticulous restraint. It is a wonderful ode to friendship, with the bond between the two lead characters being palpable – there is not a moment when they are not together on screen, and the actresses are great in portraying the genuine strength of their friendship. It is also an unconventional coming-of-age story because while it isn’t foregrounded, the theme of the future and its various uncertainties does run as an underlying theme. Jessie and Angela are two young women who are faced with a crossroads – do they continue their slacker lifestyle, making the bare minimum, or do they move forward and start developing into functioning adults? Never Goin’ Back is not a film with even an iota of seriousness in it, but there are some small indications that this film isn’t just as mindless as it appears to be.

Never Goin’ Back is honestly not much more than anarchic, unconventional and wildly entertaining fun – it has a clear intention, and it executes its story with such marvellous precision and meaningful prowess, but never lends itself to heavy-handedness or unnecessarily frenetic filmmaking. The two lead performances are remarkable, and I’m hoping both actresses have their profiles significantly raised, because not only were their individual portrayals excellent, they had palpable chemistry with the actors they shared the screen with. Never Goin’ Back is not a film that will redefine the stoner comedy, nor is it a film that everyone will enjoy. But as a diverting, darkly-comical working-class adventure about a couple of teenage stoners, it is a gem of a film. It is unassuming, and it takes its independent quite seriously, never opting for cheap cinematic tricks, and it remains true to itself and its quirky nature. I urge everyone who enjoys offbeat, peculiar and idiosyncratic comedy to check this film out because the only thing more striking than its extreme absurdity is its sincere heart, which results in Never Goin’ Back being a very special film.