Matthew Percefull
A specific iconography probably comes to mind when one thinks about a coming-of-age film; hallways full of lockers; paranoia over the perfect prom date; trouble navigating friend groups. The average moviegoer likely thinks of a story set in a school. The way most Hollywood films paint it, once you finish the hell that is public schooling, you have become the complete version of yourself. In reality, this is far from the truth. As humans, we are constantly figuring out who we are and what that means in the grander scheme of the world. This doesn’t just happen over a semester or a single summer—it’s a lifelong process. Delaney Buffet’s feature film debut, Adult Best Friends, highlights this painful but necessary process in an emotionally satisfying way.
On paper, the story of Adult Best Friends can seem a little pedestrian. Two friends taking a road trip to help their failing friendship is something that audiences have seen before. The writer, director, and co-star of Adult Best Friends Delaney Buffet injects enough personal vulnerability into the film to make it feel unique despite its simple premise. Starring and writing alongside Buffet is her real lifelong best friend, Katie Corwin. These two characters are even named after their actresses. The history between these two leads to amazing chemistry. Though you only spend around 90 minutes with them, it feels like you know the entire story of their friendship. Simple glances and body posture say more in this film than even the dialogue can convey.
The comedy in Adult Best Friends never lets up. This can be both in the film’s favor but at times can take you out of the dramatic moments. With a dramatic premise at the center, the number of jokes Adult Best Friends contains is a bit surprising. It often both enters and leaves scenes with a joke, which most of the time serves the tone well. Zachary Quinto and Cory Walls are especially funny in their limited roles. However, there are a few times when the jokes distract from huge emotional reveals. A particularly important reveal late in the 2nd act is completely undermined by a series of juvenile jokes that immediately follow. The free and fun tone is a great addition to the story, but when it isn’t reeled back it can hurt the heart of the story.
Adult Best Friends is heavily inspired by Rom-coms of the past. It sets up tropes that feel at home in a 90’s Nora Ephron flick, only to completely subvert them. The beautiful getaway destination is a run-down Air BnB with an overly involved owner. The new exciting love interests turn out to be losers. The husband who is holding our heroine’s life back happens to be the best guy in the world. This is not to say the film is some depressing slog. Adult Best Friends still offers the aesthetic appeal of these scenarios, it just highlights the reality along the way. If you’re expecting a fairy tale ending, you won’t exactly be disappointed, but the way it happens will be quite shocking.
The film is shot in an almost documentary style. The camera doesn’t move around much and there is little cutting between takes. This gives Adult Best Friends a cozy and personal view of the story. This calmer style puts the silly characters of the story into a world that grounds them. The actors are given a big task as it’s they who carry the weight here. It’s hard to notice the lack of flashy film-making here when the performances are full of as much life and charm as the ones featured here.
Every character in Adult Best Friends is going through the same crisis differently. It isn’t just our two leads. Every character is pretending to be the perfect adult while having no idea if they’re doing it correctly—every character but Delaney. Delaney’s life is unapologetically chaotic. Instead of hiding it and pretending, she embraces it. The dynamic between her and Katie is interesting as it shows how they both have what each other lacks. Delaney lacks the structure of Katie’s life and Katie lacks the freedom of Delaney. It’s what keeps them revolving around each other despite life circumstances pushing them away. It highlights the loyalty we feel over time. Lines like “When I look at you, I still feel like you’re 12 years old. I love that” exemplify this theme beautifully. Even after a falling out, your childhood friends forever remain linked to your identity.
Adult Best Friends offers a realistic look into lifelong friendships. Delaney Buffet effectively highlights what it feels like to outgrow the only person who understands every part of you. With a stacked cast of young performers, a tight script, and laugh-out-loud one-liners, Adult Best Friends is a successful Rom-com that is likely to tug at anyone’s heartstrings.
