#that is more than just it's norse god sexy lamp

[jandjsalmon]

So let’s talk Banana Split. 

I did this mini review thing with Dylan’s last film (if you’re into crazy hot crazy boys - check out my review here) - and I’m not going to get super detailed into Banana Split as I did with that one - but needless to say, this will be a video and picture heavy review - because look at him. *looks down*

Before I get into the nitty gritty - I just have to say - THIS FILM WAS ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL. I adored it - and probably not for the reason you think I would ... it’s true that the very very best time to be a Dylan fangirl was late 2017 and that December was when Dylan packed up Magnus and headed up to Syracuse to film with Hanna and Liana- but it’s not just about his pretty hair and his pretty face and his pretty hands. It’s not. I promise. 

Let’s talk about the good of Nick and April’s relationship. They were sweet high school sweethearts. They were each other’s firsts. They had literally nothing in common - save a friendship with Ben (who is absolutely hilarious) - and that built up common ground of growing up together, same town, same school, same life. It’s actually addressed in the first real scene in the movie - other than those things - they really don’t have anything in common. 

But they’re happy - for two years. 

Sharing baths with your high school boyfriend - but talking about Dumbledore and horcruxes? This is the epitome of hilariousness. It was part of a montage meant to show us their tender moments. I mean, they dated for two years. Nothing Nick has with Clara could compare to two years of this kind of build-up, right? 

Continuing with that montage - I will never look and lemurs and pandas the same way. Honestly - while Nick is rutting away - telling her she’s his lemur? I nearly DIED of laughter. But I mean, get it. Kink same not kink shame. 

And let’s take a brief segue to talk about April’s sister Agnes. SHE has a crush on Nick too (of course she does) - and she is HILARIOUS. Whether she’s telling her sister to suck my dick/kiss my ass (their poor mother eventually has to lay down the law about keeping their mouths away from their respective genitals) - or she’s feeling up Nick under the table (making him give her mother and his girlfriend THIS expression) - Agnes was a HIGHLIGHT. SO funny. She’s like 11 years old. Poor Nick.

But then they broke up. And it was painful. You see - they were graduating from high school and April got accepted to Boston College. Nick got accepted to UCSB. They didn’t talk about it - and then they both cried and broke up. It was hard to watch. When they discussed it later - it was even harder to watch.

It was HYPOTHETICAL, APRIL! *cough*

Anyway - after the breakup, Nick moved on. Clara was SO clearly a rebound - and he certainly had a good time with her - sex on the beach - sex in a birthday party hat (aside: notice how the women in the sex scenes in this film are covered up? I LOVE that they went that direction. This is not a misogynistic film in ANY way. But I digress.) - They really do seem like they have a good time together - but it was definitely MORE for Clara that it was for Nick. Definitely.

AND we were talking about SprouseHands here on tumblr the other day - I offer this picture as evidence that it obviously runs in the family. YAY genetics. You know what they say about big hands! (... big gloves ha ha ha).

ANYWAY - unfortunately - April and Clara kinda accidentally meet at a party - and find out that they actually have a TON in common and instead of hating each other, they become best friends - on the sly without telling Nick.

And without letting mutual friend Ben tell Nick either. Which is actually kind of a big thing - because Ben is Nick’s bestie - and he hates lying to his friend. But it’s also hilarious - so roll with it. (in the below scene right after this, the girls take their birth control pills together... because they both have alarms to remind them and they are completely bonkers. lol).

They even have secret code names on their phone (George Clooney and Brad Pitt respectively) and it ALL comes to a head when Nick realizes that he misses April - thinks about her all the time - and breaks up with Clara when he thinks that April is going home from a party with Ben (she does and there is weird bushes kissing but they both agree it was weird and agree to never do it again). 

ANYWAY - then the crap hits the fan and Clara goes all #friendsoff with April - throwing a slushee at her head that misses and hits her boobs - and they’re both miserable - and they both want their best friend back. 

It’s funny because neither is really that miserable about Nick. 

His storyline concludes with him telling off April for being the bad guy in this whole thing (she was) - and him making up with his best friend (after sucker punching him). Nick was the sexy lamp in this story - and there is no way around that. It’s a delicious departure from most films like this. 

ANYWAY - the crux of the film is that April and Clara are best friends. And they eventually make up - and it’s adorable and sweet and I LOVED it. The scene below is literally me and MotherMaple btw - I love her but I don’t want to bang her. Ha ha ha.

So yes. Was this a great movie? It TOTALLY was. I will watch it again and again. It was delightful and funny and heartwarming (as heartwarming as you can get when the mains continually make poor decisions, get drunk a lot, get high a lot, and make more poor decisions. 

But I love it for not being a typical romancey movie. Like I said - no one gets Nick at the end (except for Ben - who is an awesome and funny friend) which is a good thing because he deserves to meet a great girl at UCSB who also loves Carly Rae Jepson (unironically) - and the girls are happy to have their long-distance best friendship and that’s awesome too.

I definitely recommend.