As individuals grow older, navigating friendships becomes one of life’s most unique challenges. What once came easily turns into a topsy-turvy experience where not only establishing new relationships becomes difficult but reexamining decade-long friendships comes into play. As we grow, likes and dislikes evolve, and friendships that were seen as strong bonds may now be viewed more as codependency. This raises the question of whether or not a friendship should remain intact.
While this subject matter has hit the big screen on plenty of occasions, writer/director/actress Delaney Buffett’s Adult Best Friends offers a freshly entertaining and emotional perspective on the genre, navigating the trials and tribulations of decade-long friends growing older without growing apart.
Adult Best Friends tells the story of Katie and Delaney, two friends who met as teenagers and have maintained their friendship for multiple decades. Despite this strong bond, when Katie’s serious relationship with John turns into an engagement, she finds it difficult to tell Delaney, leading to a vacation where the news is broken.
Adult Best Friends‘ strength comes from the dynamic duo of Delaney Buffett and Katie Corwin. Their screenplay finds a perfect balance between emotionally resonant moments and comedic elements, contributing to the film’s overall success. There is a raw authenticity in the screenplay that is sure to resonate with cinephiles.
Not shying away from the awkwardness and discomfort that sometimes accompany adult friendships, Buffett and Corwin’s writing is matched with their witty and quippy performances on screen. Capturing the heart of friendship and the realism and anxiety that come with a chink in the friend armor, there’s never a moment within the film where the believability factor escapes.
Unfortunately, Adult Best Friends suffers from a middle side quest involving a group of gentlemen on a bachelor getaway that feels unnecessary, and its payoff leaves a feeling of “Why did this come into play in the first place?” which hurts the overall momentum of the film. What doesn’t hurt the momentum is the inclusion of Zachary Quinto and Heather Mazur, who steal the show anytime they’re on screen. Their dynamics and chemistry lead to some of the funniest sequences in the film.
While falling into layers of predictability and standard storytelling tropes, Adult Best Friends is a sharp and resonant look at the craziness of friendships and the struggles of maintaining them with the changes and demands of adulthood. With Buffett and Corwin shining brightest, the film is one of the highlights of the 2024 Tribeca Festival.
