Stand-up comedian and actor Esther Povitsky stars in Drugstore June, a coming-of-age crime story where social media makes for a dangerous weapon, boredom an impetus for a full-scale detective investigation, and youthful delusion an impressive decoy for charm, depth, and dimension. Following a mid-level social media influencer, June (Povitsky), after her place of employment is robbed clean, Drugstore June takes us on more than a quest for the culprit of the crime, but for purpose and meaning in life.
June’s main characteristics are her devotion to her small, but loyal following (shoutout June Squad), her unequivocal—if not unfounded—self-confidence, and her impressive and unending appetite for cheeseburgers, chips and any sort of junk food she can find; June is the quintessential Gen-Zer. Drugstore June leans heavily on stereotypes, helping us access June’s inner world, before cleanly and satisfyingly showing us how much more there is to her than meets the eye. Her relationship with food plays a major role in the plot, and as much as she’s “dedicated” to her “nutrition,” she has a nearly religious reverence for—as many of us do—a little tasty treat, a commitment which often comes in the form of an ungodly amount of tacos and routinely lands her in the doctor’s office. Other typical impulses from the social media generation featured in the film include an infatuation with health and wellness bordering on hypochondria. A diagnosis is like gold to her; on her frequent doctors visits, she strives to land herself on the Autism spectrum, and she refuses gluten within the film’s first few minutes, one of the many allergies she hopes to earn.
That her distance from the real world doesn’t seem to benefit her at all is an understatement, considering she’s still living at home with her parents, barely graduated from high school, and is compulsively preoccupied with the life of her now-engaged ex-boyfriend, Davey (Haley Joel Osment). In spite of her apparent flaws, her family and pharmacist employer (Bobby Lee) don’t just tolerate her, they love her. And, at the hand of writing duo Povitsky and director Nicholaus Goossen, we do too.
Girlhood sits brightly on display in Povitsky’s portrayal of a young woman obsessed with boys, doesn’t drink or smoke, and remains siloed in her own universe. Her father’s gambling addiction seems to have deterred her from debauchery, and in contrast with her damning traits, such as a poor work ethic and self-absorption, June’s decision to abstain from substances illuminates a level of maturity not immediately obvious upon first glance. After witnessing her dad at the whim of his next big win and in constant battle with his bookie, she’s clearly affected by his choices, apparently having reflected on them over the course of her life. June’s savviness, while in search for the suspect responsible for the break-in, brings her to the gritty bar where her dad does his dealings. Working in tandem with her ever-lenient and eager-to-relate boss, June employs the greatest weapon available to her (her social media followers), to intimidate the unsavory characters at the watering hole, threatening blackmail in exchange for leads on the crime.
No coming-of-age tale would be complete without a love interest, and our leading lady June sure knows how to pick them. Years after her breakup with Davey, whom she met while working at their local burger chain, she continues to pine after him to the point of compulsion. In her daily morning livestreams, she keeps the June Squad abreast of her regular dreams about her ex and has even curated a Davey-inspired playlist; Davey has issued multiple restraining orders against her.
After she goes off to find the person who robbed her pharmacy, she meets a group of criminals while looking for answers at the nearby weed store, one of whom she recognizes from an earlier run-in at work. The supporting actors, including rapper Bhad Bhabie, on shift at the dispensary deliver laughs with an off-beat, eccentric game of etymology, parsing out the difference between words like drugstore, pharmacy, and other innuendos, while June, tunnel-visioned and immune to the imminent threat of danger, engages in flirtation, despite the gun in her face. Later, in a testament to her enduring innocence and naivety—or unbridled sense of security—June asks for her phone, which the criminals took from her to preserve their identities. She wants her phone back not as a means of escape, mind you, but to look at herself. As June puts it, there’s no way she would down a full stack of buckwheat pancakes in front of three men and not check her teeth, endearing us to her character in this moment of relatable and hilarious delusion.
It’s June’s world, and we’re all just living in it. The neat, tidy, tongue-in-cheek way the police investigation wraps up alludes to the style of storytelling prevalent on the internet today, where succinct sound bites summarize the lessons learned. Although the exact internal catalyst that first inspired June’s vigilante cause felt ambiguous and underdeveloped, we can surmise that the motivation for her hot pursuit was less so a call to justice, and more so, something to do. However, after she applies herself, perhaps for the first time in her life, to a mission beyond her immediate notions and desires, she finally reaps the rewards of resilience.
Director: Nicholaus Goossen
Writers: Esther Povitsky, Nicholaus Goossen
Starring: Esther Povitsky, Bobby Lee, Jackie Sandler, Haley Joel Osment, Miranda Cosgrove
Release Date: February 23, 2024
Felicia Reich is an entertainment writer and culture reporter. She lives in Brooklyn with her complex first person perspective and collection of decorative pillows. Follow her on Instagram @feliciamnqreich or around Whole Foods at a tasteful distance.