The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wrong Girls (2026) Written Review

What type of shenanigans do you get up to with your best friends? Some people are much more mellow and just enjoy hanging out and watching a movie. Others might get super high and venture out into the world for all types of chaos. That is certainly the vibe of Dylan Meyer’s feature film debut with The Wrong Girls. Frankie and Molly are just a pair of idiosyncratic BFFs who have their own language and way of expression who just want to get high and get by. But one fateful bit of mistaken identity and a run-in with crazy drugs give this pair powerful psychic abilities and superpowers that puts them at odds with all types of ne’er-do-wells. Vibes galore fill up Meyer’s film and set her protagonists (and the audience) on a drug-fueled adventure that is quite unexpected.

How does Meyer put her own twist on the stoner-comedy subgenre? Well…this film is bonkers. Unabashedly so. From a visual standpoint, the film is an interesting mixture of indie film making and classic style exploitation filmmaking. You can see this film as a modern rendition of a 70s B-movie which is certainly a conscious vibe that Meyer’s is going for (and succeeds at creating). There is plenty of atmosphere throughout the film with composer Ty Segall delivering music that is a fun mixture of synths (giving a retro vibe) and some otherworldly feel. The fantastical film has some crazy elements that involve a fun mixture of campy computer-generated effects and practice elements (like wire work). The pacing of the film is propulsive as this fever dream of a film never lets up. Tonally, this is a wild concoction of camp, stoner vibes, and thrills with plenty of crime, sci-fi, and fantasy elements injected into this stoner comedy. With films like Pizza Movie, there is certainly an appetite for bonkers and creative comedies that send you on a wild adventure.

What makes this story deliver so well? The core friendship is the anchor to the whole experience. If you did not buy-in to their relationship, this would all be for naught. Frankie and Molly are one of the friendships that are completely coded in a specific way that is just endlessly entertaining to take in. Their journey to find purpose and meaning in their lives is a relatable anchoring point that allows the audience to give into the weirder and wilder elements of the film. You can see the homages and influences on Meyer’s sleeve as she brings this genre-bending adventure to life. There is a nice mixture of crime thriller elements and a sense of mystery that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. The plot of the film is certainly overstuffed and jam-packed with characters but at least is a wildly fun way that you are never quite sure where this story is going to bring Frankie, Molly, and the audience. This web of conspiracy leads to a thrilling and satisfying finale that even leaves the door open for a bigger and wilder ride in the future for these two.

How does the experience leverage its stacked cast? This film would not work if it were for the impressive chemistry and dynamic of Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat. Each of these talented actors brings a variety of specific traits, quirks, and details to their characters that make them so intriguing, engaging, and memorable. But it is the combination of them that makes this film feel so special. The hyper-specific behavior of these friends makes them so relatable and endearing as you fully buy the friendship that exists between them. The mechanism of their psychic connection that allows them to comment on this bonkers journey makes the experience so much better. LaKeith Stanfield is the type of actor you can throw into any film, and he brings a powerful presence that elevates the work…that is the case with The Wrong Girls. His intensity makes him an intriguing and mysterious presence who is a potential hero and love-interest for the protagonists. Two of the most fun (voice) performances of the film are Seth Rogen and Kumail Nanjiani as the cats in the film. The psychic abilities open the door for Stewart and Shawkat to speak to their cats and Rogen and Nanjiani come to play. It would be a disservice to give away some of the high-profile cast members (do yourself a favor and don’t look them up either) so we will leave it at that.

Does The Wrong Girls deliver the right amount of chaos for entertainment value? Meyer delivers one of the most unique and idiosyncratic cinematic experiences of the year…in the best way possible. The combination of Stewart and Shawkat is endlessly entertaining and makes this film work so well. The commitment to chaos, stoner tropes, and plenty of genre-bending makes The Wrong Girls such a thrilling ride for the late summer theater going audience. You will never be able to guess where this journey takes you and that is certainly a large part of the charm.