WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS
US, 2015, 96 minutes, Colour.
Zac Efron, Wes Bentley, Emily Ratajkowski, Jonny Weston, Shiloh Fernandez, Alex Shaffer, John Bernthal.
Directed by Max Joseph.
This is a film for a generation in its 20s. Older audiences might find it difficult to identify with, some remembering their past and realising they have well moved on, others not finding the characters or the situation congenial. The screenplay has lines such as a description of those who participated in the parties, with the music, drugs, drink, sexual behaviour, as “gyrating tweens”. One of the characters, in his early 40s, also remarks that at 23 a person has not lived long enough to learn the meaning of ‘irreparable’! And also asserts that a person has not become themselves until age 27.
The central characters of this film, the four friends, a not yet 27!
For some times, there have been many fifth a reference to the Valley Girls from the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. While there are some Valley Girls here, this is a story about four Valley Boys. At this stage of their life, they don’t have any full-time jobs, are on the lookout - sometimes, but more involved in promoting music and parties and, one or other of them, dealing drugs.
The central character is Cole, a young DJ, or with ambitions to become a DJ, played by Zac Efron, who, after his High School Musical escapades, has had the opportunity to appear in quite a number of serious films. This one is in between.
His other friends include Mason (Jonny Weston), a carefree type, helping with some building work, enthusiastic about party promotions. Then there is Ollie (Shiloh Fernandez) wanting to be an actor, but more interested in dealing drugs. Then there is Squirrel (Alex Shaffer), the rather put-upon member of the group. At one stage, there might be an improvement with work in the office of one of the drug clients, a company which allegedly helps those in difficulty with home finances but is really exploitative, wants to get homes for a cut-price and then selling them off while promising to rent them to the previous tenants. The four work in the company but, eventually, it gets to Cole, especially as he visits a woman with her child and realises that she is the victim of a scam.
The other track of the story is Cole’s encounter with James, Wes Bentley, a 40 something DJ who has a strong international reputation, who takes a shine to Cole, gives him a lot of advice, helps him with his tracks, advises him to listen and hear rather than just simply rely on possibilities from his laptop. But, there is no plain sailing, because Cole is attracted to James’s girlfriend and Personal Assistant, Sophie (Emily Ratajkowski).
There are some grim moments in the film, especially a drug overdose death which challenges the group. And, after the first hour or so of seeming indulgence in hedonism, the screenplay starts to take a moralising tone, which means that by the end, Cole has to make some decisions about life, what he wants, positive aims, and capitalising on his musical talent.
Perhaps this review makes the film sound more interesting than it is except for its target audience.
1. The target audience? Young men and women in their 20s? (And the reference to “gyrating tweens”)?
2. The San Fernando Valley, the boys of the Valley, the girls of the Valley? Life, family, age, jobs or no jobs, music, drinking, drugs, parties, sex? Indulging in hedonism? Aims and aimlessness?
3. Moralising story – after one hour into the film? The initial focus on self to focus on self-awareness? Consequences, challenge, change? Decisions? Real aims?
4. The title, the four friends, the explanation? The would-be actor and his drugs? The group promoting nightclubs? Cole as a DJ? The bonds throughout the film, shared parties, friends, work? The effect of Squirrel’s death? The break? Re-examining their lives?
5. The focus on Cole, the narrator, his ambitions as a DJ, his music, tracks, working on the laptop, the different compositions? Being urged by James to listen and to hear? Music and ordinary sounds? Cole as a person, his friends, the promotion, sharing with his friends, the work at the estate agency? Encounter with James, going to the party, the drugs, his psychedelic visual experience? Meeting Sophie? Waking up, the friendship with James? The music, James and his lessons, trust, encouragement? Going to Las Vegas, with Sophie, the night with her? With James, the tension with the birthday cake, going to the party, James finding Cole’s phone, Cole sick, the clash between the two? The job at the estate agency, the phone calls, Mrs Romero and her situation, with her son, the house? The work for Paige, his contacts, the drugs? The visiting of Mrs Romero, Paige and his scam? His plan to re-sell the house instead of renting? Deceiving Mrs Romero? The new house, Mason renting it, the party, excess, Squirrel’s death, their being jolted? The funeral? Cole and his change, jogging, listening to the sounds, his new track, confronting James, going to the Festival, performance, success? Going to see Sophie, the pie? Leaving the money for Mrs Romero?
6. The sketches of the friends, Squirrel, follower, at work, regrets, his death? Ollie, wanting to act, dealing with the drugs, the work, his angers with the others, deciding to stay with the agency? Yet his going to an audition? Mason, carefree, friendship with Cole, their working on the roof, parties, promotion, drugs? Having to settle down?
7. James, older, his past career, success as a DJ, international, his drinking, the parties, the relationship with Sophie, her working as his assistant, friendship with Cole, helping him, advice? Personal disillusionment? The break with Sophie? Supporting Cole at the end?
8. Sophie, dropping out of college, music, drugs, the relationship with James, becoming his personal system, the bookings, going to Las Vegas with Cole, the night? Wanting to move on? The cake, her anger, going to the cafe, the promise of pie? With Cole at the end?
9. Paige, parties, girls, drugs? Inviting the group to work? His explanation of the schemes? Deceiving Mrs Romero? Cole’s challenge to him?
10. The absence of adult figures in the film?
11. The crowds, gyrating tweens? The repetition of the phrase “I can do better”? James’s comment, “at 23, you haven’t had time to learn the meaning of irreparable”? His comment that no one was a person until age 27?
