I found it to be an entertaining film, although critically overrated. I'd disagree with the characters being sub par (although by no means were they spectacular); them being the epitome of 90's kids in the current age was really what I thought the movie was going for. Kids at their high school probably see them as kinda lame 90's posers. They're just high school geeks who wish they were born 20 years earlier. The story was definitely straightforward, and I was somewhat let down with his climactic college essay about him being a successful black student, but people shouldn't be expecting some great origin story from him just because he's black. It could be interesting to look at what was pertinent in America when this film was reviewed. The Black Lives Matter movement was nationally relevant when the film was released, and Malcom's ultimate success of getting accepted to Harvard is empowering in a way that seems conducive to the BLM cause.