ALL MY FRIENDS HATE ME
UK, 2021, 93 minutes, Colour.
Tom Stourton, Georgina Campbell, Christopher Fairbank, Dustin Demri-Burns, Joshua McGuire, Antonia Clark, Kiarane Hodgson, Charly Clive, Graham Dickson.
Directed by Andrew Gaynord.
A British production, both serious and comic, featuring a group of young men and women turning 31, gathering for a birthday celebration, remembering their University days. It is a film geared for audiences of the same age as the characters – not particularly interesting for those not yet 30!, Perhaps of interest for those who want to remember what they were like at that age. The screenplay was co-written by the star, Thom Stourton.
The film focuses on Peter, turning 31, working with refugees, some memories of the past but some loss of memories, travelling to George’s house where the celebratory weekend is to be held, losing his way, asking an elderly countryman the way and being baited by him jokingly, find himself in the house, missing the note to say that they are all away.
Then the celebration starts. There is the issue of a former girlfriend, Claire, who, allegedly, so disappointed in his rejection attempted suicide. His very sensitive about her because he is about to make his proposal to his current girlfriend, Sonia. There are his male friends, especially George, with a touch of aristocracy, and Archie, sometimes a bit out of it. Then there is the local, Harry, who continually on antagonises Peter, snoring at night, snooping, asking all kinds of questions, especially about Claire, even taking notes on what Peter says.
Peter becomes more and more frustrated, angry at Harry, telling his friends that he doesn’t remember a whole lot of incidents that they are recalling. He tries some cocaine and is accused of losing it all. Then there is the hunt, with the help of the elderly man he met on the road and had mimicked, his not being a hunter.
Matters get worse and is everybody keeps joking, remembering stories which Peter fails to remember. Sonja also arrives. And, the repeaters continual outbursts against Harry, first identifying him as the brother of the little girl he and his friend had tormented when they were 15. This is not the case. And, a man comes out, impersonating Peter as a kind of sideshow, revealing everything about him, and eliciting from Peter confession about Ian’s friend tormenting the young girl in the past.
It emerges that Harry is someone from the past, a showman. He has been hired for the entertainment. What has emerged is that Peter is self-preoccupied, becoming more and more paranoid, eventually throwing a vase at Harry, injuring him.
At the end, he drives away, more than chastened, Sonia driving, worrying that she would not say yes to his proposal. She then jokes, seeming to turn him down, but finally accepting.
A memory comes up of the group of friends gathering for a funeral in The Big Chill and truth being told.
