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‘Basic’ SXSW Review: Ashley Park and Leighton Meester Bond Over Toxic Relationship Anxieties in a Charming Rom-Com

By Courtney Howard Mar 16, 2026 | 11:21 PM

“Basic” is a zany, heartrending short-turned-feature centered on two women carrying deep seated relationship insecurities that’s far more complex than its pithy title suggests. Writer-director Chelsea Devantez’s witty, wisdom-filled musings tap into relatable angst dealing with toxic social media practices and women’s self-sabotaging tendencies, exploring the method behind the madness and ruminating on how to […]