THE STORY – All Henry (Josh Brener) wanted was a romantic weekend with his new girlfriend, Penny (Billie Lourd), as the palm trees and mountains of Palm Springs set the stage to take their relationship to the next level. But Henry’s dream getaway turns into an absurd romp when his party animal best friend Paul (Harvey Guillén) invites himself on the trip, strapped with a pack of drug-laced cigarettes and a penchant for cockblocking.
THE CAST – Harvey Guillén, Billie Lourd, Josh Brener, Neil Brown Jr., Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Lauren Lapkus, Mary Holland, Rose Abdoo, Alok Vaid-Menon, Retta, Will Sterling, Paul Guzman, Alan Peterson & Aisha Holden
THE TEAM – Alex Wall & Will Sterling (Directors/Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 87 minutes
The opening moments of Alex Wall’s and Will Sterling’s “That Friend” so wonderfully encapsulate the core chaos the remainder of its brisk runtime will revolve around. In this introductory sequence, longtime friends Henry (Josh Brener) and Paul (Harvey Guillén) show up at a quaint game night. Before anybody knows it, the hangovers have already begun to settle in, and the sun has started to rise on the following morning. This encapsulates the entire essence of Paul and the film in a nutshell. “That Friend” is an explosive burst of fun, rowdy energy that never comes up for a moment to breathe. The pacing and structure of this film are no different than that of the exact sort of friend this film centers on. Before we realize what’s happening, that friend has turned what some might have assumed was to be a quaint experience into a full-blown extravaganza. Wall and Sterling wonderfully funnel that friend’s behavior directly into the bones of their film: a gleeful burst of chaotic comedy that continues to escalate until reality comes crashing back down on top of everything. It’s an absolute delight from beginning to end, and so much of it rests on the performance of that friend in particular.
In the case of this film, that titular friend is brought to life by Guillén’s performance. It requires a deft hand to balance everything contained within the character of Paul. He obviously has to be a ton of fun; in that regard, there’s so much unhinged aura oozing off the screen. Guillén is given countless one-liners to deliver, in addition to serving up a bundle of really delightful physical comedy gags. This is one great comedy of escalations, all set off by Paul’s antics. So with that, he of course has to be mildly annoying enough to serve as a foil to Henry. Astutely (and hilariously) described by a stranger as “the real-life Charlie Brown”, Brener was made for a straight man performance like this. One might wonder how they even remained friends for so long, but Brener perfectly conveys the vibe of a guy who refuses to ever directly address the thing, or the person, that’s bothering him. After kicking the can down the road for so many years, it’s all finally coming to a head on what was supposed to be a romantic getaway with new girlfriend Penny (Billie Lourd) in Palm Springs. As one act of kindness, shockingly and hilariously, becomes the driving force of “That Friend,” the tension between these friends builds until it reaches a boiling point. Lucky for audiences, Wall and Sterling pack so much comedic tension into their film that plenty of laughs are provided along the way, much to Henry’s chagrin.
But this isn’t solely a cinematic romp dedicated to torturing its lead character. It’s also a test designed to hopefully encourage some individual growth through self-reflection. That key aspect lends itself nicely to the final third of Guillén’s performance, which really allows “That Friend” to shift into something more than a broad, ludicrous comedy of errors. Guillén brings real pathos to the character. It’s admittedly the element of his character least explored due to the building central conflict between Henry and Paul, yet Guillén nevertheless delivers. He rises to the challenge that this film requires of him, and it’s a wonder to watch it all unexpectedly play out over the course of ninety minutes. But before Guillén allows the audience into his character’s inner psyche, he isn’t afraid to be the sole arbiter of ridiculous shenanigans despite Henry’s reticence. For Henry, Paul is that old friend he can’t seem to shake. It’s not necessarily a malicious desire to go through this friend break-up, but it’s indicative of how people recognize a certain growth within themselves.
Henry sees himself as having outgrown the constant shenanigans Paul brings out of any situation. What might once have been essential in college and early adulthood has become a burden for Henry. As he contemplates the next stage of his life with Penny, his latest serious girlfriend, Henry seems to insist that his feelings toward Paul stem from a simple desire to be more comfortable in this new version of himself. But it becomes clear over the course of the film that Henry doesn’t even really have a full idea of who he is separate from a significant other. While he clearly doesn’t want to outwardly shame Paul, his faux-gentle asides are clearly veiled with a ton of judgment. It’s through this behavior that Wall and Sterling work out the thematic balance of never fully shaming someone’s identity or behavior while also encouraging some sort of growth.
As the night progresses, the two friends and Penny sort out their issues among themselves and a growing ensemble of supporting characters. While some of the central figures of this supporting cast feel a bit underutilized or underdeveloped, they certainly offer even more laughs to be had along the way to the credits. Miles Gutierrez-Riley, in particular, offers a big pop, entering the film somber and reserved before reappearing like a bolt of lightning. Paul brings all these people together against their better individual judgments. For Henry, it just means a big mess to clean up. For the audience, it’s practically nothing but laughter revolving around the simple premise. And from this dilemma comes a genuinely emotional finale that allows the film to extend beyond just being a ridiculous comedy. It may slightly temper off in the third act as the boundaries become a bit more self-contained, but the film nevertheless still ends on quite an entertaining note. It’s indicative of the balance this film hopes to explore through its characters’ relationships. Where some people need to loosen up a bit and explore the spaces both around and within themselves, others could use a moment to reflect and align themselves to a more sustainable version of life. We just have to give ourselves, and others, the grace and time to sort it out. Luckily, “That Friend” does just that in ninety really fun minutes.
