Movie Review: "Friend of the World" (2020)

Friend of the World Movie Review

Written by Stuart D. Monroe

Released by Charybdis Pictures

Written and Directed by Brian Patrick Butler

2021, 50 minutes, Not Rated

Released on August 15th, 2020

Starring:

Nick Young as General Gore

Alexandra Slade as Diane Keaton

Michael C. Burgess as Berenger

Kathryn Schott as Eva

Review:

The surreal arthouse subgenre is full of dark shadows, weird-ass non-linear narratives, and multiple possible interpretations. That’s why I always end up drawn back there like a moth to the flame- the weirdly complex films work on different parts of your film palate and fire a different set of synapses. With PR folks comparing it to Dr. Strangelove and Don’t Look Up and a critical response that makes heavy comparisons to the wickedly shocking 2018 hit, Possum, I simply had to investigate Friend of the World further.

Ironically named Diane Keaton (Alexandra Slade; We All Die Alone) awakens in a fetid and blasted underground bunker in the company of a man calling himself General Gore (Nick Young; Probe). The two couldn’t be more opposite- she’s an African-American lesbian artist and he’s a hateful, fatalistic, deceptive old white military man. There’s been a world war of epic proportions, he tells her, and they’re the only two people left. They’re heading topside through a bunker populated by drippy zombies, but is General Gore the real threat? What’s in the antidote that supposedly saves you from zombification but also makes you trip balls? And what’s all this about swallowing an elephant?

The odd couple…

Friend of the World is essentially a two-actor stage show and a study in reverse psychology and survivor trauma. It’s not the kind of film that takes a linear path in explaining to you everything that’s going on; in fact, you’ll be jarred on quite a few occasions when events take a sharp turn that raises more questions. In between those turns, the film sets a tone heavy with upcoming ugliness and tragedy bubbling just below the surface. Generally well-timed bits of humor break tension and set an absurdist tone when it’s called for.

It’s called for quite often.

Alexandra Slade holds her own, crafting a tough woman whose brains are her biggest asset in dealing with the General. Nick Young chews up scenes to create an antagonist who’s as vicious as he is crafty, all while being a generally repulsive human being. The effect they have on each other over the relentless 50 minute runtime is some damn fine work. It’s a tit-for-tat that doesn’t make a lick of damn sense at times, but you can’t take your eyes off it.

It’s getting a bit close for comfort with these damn zombies in this damn bunker!

Friend of the World isn’t an SFX heavy kind of film, but being shot in black and white helps highlight the handful of competent and effective gags that are used. The aesthetic also darkens the already dank bunker and sets the mood. There are obvious nods to the aforementioned Dr. Strangelove and even Eraserhead. And while the often similar Possum was all about repressed abuse and trauma, Friend of the World offers the question of whether or not we deserved what we ultimately got, and it’s not pretty with the answer.

You can dig into the meanings behind the host of non-sequiturs and cryptic lines, enjoy the wonderfully true to life acid trip visuals, or simply appreciate the aesthetic, but you will be engaged as hell for all 50 minutes of the run time even if you have zero clue of what is or isn’t real.

I kind of thought that was the point. Is it just me?

Grade:

3.5 out of 5.0 stars