Campus Rivals
starring: VANESSA NOTTINGHAM, ADAM SANTA CRUZ & ERIC GUILMETTE
What happens in Cabo, stays in Cabo - or so Claire thought.
But on campus, her summer romance turns out to be her boyfriend’s fiercest rival. As secrets spill and feelings spiral, Claire faces the ultimate choice: comfort with the familiar or a once-in-a-lifetime passion.
REVIEW
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Now I am going to start with a bit of a shock. I didn't 'like' any of the main 3 characters. This is why it isn't 5 stars - there wasn't a swoonworthy green flag male lead and perfect romance. As a viewer that is my fave thing.
BUT it is one of the BEST Verticals I have watched, & certainly most well written. Because the 2 male characters are so interesting. Both flawed people with so much to unpick it really got me thinking. A vertical has never done that before.
Xavier is problematic. He lies about Hannah, takes the cowardly way out dumping Claire rather than trying to fix it. He stares so much at her she cries in class, and pushes his suit too much. Claire says she doesn't want to be a cheater. If the character was mature & really loved her he would respect this. Instead he keeps telling her he knows better than her feelings which is arguably gas lighting. But when we get the reveal, Xavier is shown to be incredibly vulnerable and it has all been this front. This is not a simple character. Eric Guilmette is really clever with the way he plays him because he doesn't overplay the charm, he keeps Xavier awkward and standoffish, which we later learn comes from fear and that brings us back.
Then Chad. We start with him cheating but then layers are put in, someone who doesn't like themselves but is fronting it out, seeking fights & self sabotaging to avoid getting hurt. And Claire treats him badly. Everyone here damages each other. Unfortunately once Chad and Hannah unite he is no longer redeemable, which is a shame. It was so good seeing Adam Santa Cruz play this kind of volatile character, he does it so well.
Claire you shouldn't have transferred! She is messed around by the boys, but doesn't cover herself with glory. Really think Vanessa Nottingham should have ditched them & hung out with bestie Lawson Greyson who is superb
Brittany Marsicek has one of the best scenes I've seen in a vert when she goes for Claire at the beginning. You feel the pain radiating off her.
This is why this vert is so good. Complex characters, that made me debate who was right, oscillate between who I was rooting for & some strong points on gossip.
💖 Top swoonworthy moment:
There are some beautiful moments of frission between Claire and Xavier in the Cabo flashbacks. Now shockingly at the start of this I was rooting for Chad, as had hopes he was redeemable. Has anyone watched Hart of Dixie? Because the first half of this very much reminded me of George vs Wade. George was the good noble choice but also stuffy and uptight (Xavier), Wade was the scrappy outsider, who would self sabotage rather than risk getting hurt (Chad). And I was always a Wade girl.
🦹🏼♂️ Top villain award:
Hannah has the best on screen villainess character entrance, because she is totally justified in her anger. Xavier uses HER for the status, cheats on her and then dumps her. And her pain is visceral, and it is incredibly powerful.
I enjoyed the irony of Hannah accusing Xavier of stalking, and then doing it herself to get the photos. Plus the writing brilliantly shows the power of words, and how much damage they can do.
We do lose our way a bit as the whole plot escalates at the end, but that start is everything.
😂 Comedy gold:
Lots to enjoy:
Brooke Moltrum being so over excited to go to a party
Jeff Violette with that cup and balloon - what was going on there?
Rebecca Berg and the pigs in a blanket story. The lady has class and knows caviar is the only way to go
But it has to be Chad having his spa treatment and speaking for all vertical stars:
“It’s not easy being hot and successful. My life is literally a movie.”
🎺 Unsung hero:
It has to be Autumn who is the bestie that we all want, and supports Claire throughout it all, and satisfyingly gets to give Chad the finger. More Autumn time needed.
Now all the cameos were great fun. Possibly need a therapist to work out why Adam Santa Cruz wrote in a scene of him punching Nick Ritacco repeatedly in the face.
But my fave cameo was actually Ryan Santa Cruz - coming from Monty & Grayson on YouTube.
✍🏼 DETAILS
Director Tingting Lyu | 2025
Available on VIGLOO
