Some raucous misbehaviour aside, it's an essentially sweet tale of teenagers being teenagers, and a rare one that champions friendship over romance.

| Original Score: 4/5 | May 9, 2024

[Banana Split] keys into the heedless rush of meeting someone on your exact wavelength.

| Original Score: B | Jan 28, 2021

Underrated ambitious, and fun as hell.

| Original Score: B+ | Aug 6, 2020

If you're looking for a quick hit of wholesome comedy to remind you why life is still worth living (even in these hellish times), then Banana Split is great. But as a calling card for its writer-star Hannah Marks, it's even better.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 23, 2020

Because the movie is so well-cast ([Hannah] Marks and [Liana] Liberato give very convincing performances as opposite women who become fast friends), it makes ... well-worn teen-comedy tropes enjoyable to watch.

| Jul 15, 2020

Fearlessly snappy dialog gives this teen comedy an unusual edge, subverting expectations for a knowing portrait of friendship...

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jun 22, 2020

There is much satisfaction to be found in watching a female friendship painted in such detailed strokes, and seeing that deep emotional bond exist above and beyond any romantic entanglements.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 8, 2020

What truly zings about Banana Split, though, is that it's a Gen Z romcom actually written by a teenager, with all those accompanying imperfections. That and its ending totally hits the sweet spot.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 5, 2020

Banana Split is like a really poor episode of Riverdale, but less compelling.

| Original Score: 1/5 | Jun 5, 2020

Banana Split brings in classic ingredients of teen comedy and amplifies it with charismatic performances, all showered with a genuine sense of humor.

| Jun 4, 2020

The fundamental premise of this never really looks anything other than muddled and implausible, and certainly doesn't free up the relationship between Marks and Liberato in any satisfyingly comic direction.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jun 3, 2020

All it takes is the film's obligatory blow-up scene to confirm any suspicion that April and Clara's friendship is made of hay.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 24, 2020

More teen comedies should push themselves as far as this one does to explore all of the complicated nooks and crannies of adolescence.

| Original Score: 7.5/10 | Apr 13, 2020

Not as sweet as its title suggests, this subversive contemporary coming-of-age comedy resonates with enough character-driven authenticity to overcome its far-fetched contrivances.

| Apr 1, 2020

The problem with Banana Split isn't the surface phoniness or lazy comedy but the fact that the movie doesn't offer any insight into its ostensible subjects-among them break-ups, female friendship, and teenage jealousy.

| Original Score: C | Apr 1, 2020

There was just something so deliciously compelling about these teens and their self-contained drama.

| Mar 31, 2020

Much like the dessert that inspired its name, Banana Split is a mixture of familiar tastes but combined in a way that sets it apart from your boring coming-of-age scoop of vanilla ice cream.

| Original Score: B | Mar 31, 2020

A smart and breezy coming-of-age comedy that pushes a lot of the buttons that Booksmart does.

| Mar 31, 2020

Thanks to a genuine script and an honest mentality... its view on relationships in all their forms should resonate with audiences, especially young women.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Mar 31, 2020

In short, this is a smart and moving comedy that will make you howl with laughter and call your best gal pal. It's d*mn good stuff and shouldn't be missed.

| Mar 30, 2020