🍿40: All My Friends Hate Me

This week: Big news for DC fans while a deliciously dark British comedy makes SP's feature focus.

“Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

~ Casablanca, 1942

You ain’t never had a friend like me…

There’s a real theme of friendship running through this week’s SP so I’ll take the opportunity to congratulate two of my best friends on getting married tomorrow!

As such, I’m pretty busy with the typical best man duties, so how about we jump straight to the headlines - there is a lot to get through this week!

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Now for the headlines:

• Big news this week, a sequel to Todd Phillips’ Joker has been confirmed — Joker: Folie à Deux — and Lady Gaga is in talks to star as Harley Quinn next to Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck. Oh, and it’s going to be a musical. Read more.

• Photos of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming rom-com, Barbie, have been released. Read more.

• We get a first look at Emma Thompson in the upcoming Matilda musical set to hit the big screen this Christmas. Watch the trailer.

• Paddington Bear is coming back for Paddington in Peru. Read more.

• A documentary on legendary sci-fi writer Kurt Vonnegut has been announced. Watch the trailer.

• The sequel to Daniel Craig’s Agatha-Christie-esque detective drama Knives Out has been officially titled Glass Onion. Read more.

• Ozark’s Julia Garnar has been offered the lead role in what will be Madonna’s self-penned and self-directed biopic. Read more.

• And finally, a teaser dropped for Rob Zombie’s cinematic adaptation of 1960’s TV show The Munsters. This came a day after Netflix released its teaser for Wednesday, starring Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams. Coincidence?

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Upcoming Releases

Beauty

UK: 29 June // USA: 29 June

A gifted young Black woman struggles to maintain her voice and identity after she’s offered a lucrative recording contract, setting off a fierce battle between her family, the label, and her closest friend to determine who will guide her as she makes the journey to becoming a star.

My Policeman

UK: 21 October // USA: 21 October

My Policeman tells a story of forbidden love and changing social conventions. The film is set to follow three people in 1950s Britain – policeman Tom (Harry Styles), teacher Marion (Emma Corrin), and museum curator Patrick (David Dawson).

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Fact of the week

Following (loosely) on the theme of friendship, Jim Carrey was originally offered $700,000 to costar in Dumb and Dumber, but the offer was made the same week that Ace Ventura: Pet Detective opened at the top of the US box office.

Following this, Carrey’s agents set out to renegotiate with the D&D producers and in doing so managed to win an extra zero to his fee, taking it to a total of $7 million, which was almost half of the film’s total budget.

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Review: All My Friends Hate Me

Star rating:

3.5 (out of 5)

Where to watch: 

USA: Only in cinemas

UK: Only in cinemas

Runtime:

1hr 34m

Director:

Andrew Gaynord

Blurb: 

Pete (Tom Stourton) is cautiously excited about reuniting with his college friends for a birthday weekend. But, one by one, his friends slowly turn against him.

The review (NO spoilers):

All My Friends Hate Me is a deliciously dark comedy with a script that will keep you cringing on the edge of your seat. While it doesn’t feature the kind of quick-witted dialogue that’s synonymous with dark British comedy (think In Bruges), this film is very good at putting you in the head of the protagonist. We see everything, every small detail, from Pete’s (Tom Stourton) perspective, which makes it all the more tense, brutal and hilarious.

Although I wouldn’t say any member of the cast delivers a particularly dazzling performance — though it’s really not that kind of film — the comedic timing of looks, gestures and comments work to fantastic effect.

While there are a few surreal and slapstick moments, it’s the dialogue that will keep you hooked. At the end of every conversation, and with every cutting remark, you can’t help but hold your breath for the awkwardness that you know will ensue.

It’s also nice to watch something that’s only a little over 90 minutes long. With many films stretching beyond the two-hour mark, having a comedy that doesn’t try to overcomplicate itself or cram too much in, is a treat in itself.

Scroll down for The Critic’s Cut and to see what’s in the next issue.

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If you liked All My Friends Hate Me…

Shiva Baby

2021 | UK: Mubi / Amazon Prime (£4.49) // USA: HBO / Amazon Prime ($2.99)

If you’re looking for another tense comedy centred on a person alienating everyone around them, then Shiva Baby will be right up your street. While it shares a lot of similar traits to All My Friends Hate Me, I’d argue it’s much tenser.

Shiva Baby was in fact the feature film of SP#13 last year, you can read the review here.

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In the next issue:

Elvis

UK: 24 June // USA: 24 June | Watch the Trailer

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The Critic’s Cut 🚨SPOILER ALERT🚨:

What I really loved about All My Friends Hate Me was just how well Pete’s point of view is conveyed to the audience. You can’t help but feel that all of his friends really are turning against him. So, when we realise that Pete’s version of events is very much Pete’s version, it doesn’t take long for the weight of his paranoia and anxiety to hit home.

It’s like having an unreliable narrator, without any of the narration. For me, it’s this that made the film stand out and why I found the ending particularly funny. Without this rather unexpected trickery, I think the film would have fallen a little flat.

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