The New York Times described the song as a "paean to the beauty and beastliness of growing up too fast in Southern California.

"[1] In an interview with Affinity, Rose stated that the song acted as a "cathartic little capsule for the angst and self-discovery I was blasting off into as a teenager in LA".

[2] Aaron Latham of AllMusic criticized the song, stating that "it is unfortunate that the production style [of the album] is so hooked into the angry teen girl sound of the moment that it makes an interesting song like the single 'Overdrive' sound banal".

[3] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine described the song as "catchy," stating that it is "a trite condemnation of Californication".

It was also used in the TV series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, One Tree Hill and Joan of Arcadia.