This super low budget indie endeavor was created by two young women who produced and directed, co-wrote, and also played the leading roles. It is certainly a cut above the majority of similar ventures. It takes a refreshingly original approach to the "here comes the apocalypse" genre; it is basically a story of friendship under the strain of growing apart with nuclear bombs going off in the background. At least it's not simply trying to copy what other films have done. In most cases, imitation is not a sincere form of flattery, it's indicative of a lack of real abilities; genre tropes and cliché's take the place of imagination and talent. Such is not the case here. The creators pragmatically uses the road trip in the middle of nowhere to keep away from the need for big effects or set pieces, and the only crowd scenes are saved for parties (I'm sure it's a budget issue - "we can just use our friends" - that accounts for the fact that this world is noticeably populated entirely by young people, with only a few, brief, exceptions). Acting is serviceable to extremely good (including a very brief, but outstanding, appearance by a pregnant woman at a party). The weakest performance was the director's own - conceivably her attention was too divided to the detriment of her role - she is very good in some scenes and in others she seems distracted and forced. There are many refreshingly believable moments: the girls decide to be bad-asses and yet their attempts at it are awkward. They would be chewed up and spat out in a Mad Max realization of the world, but as their foes are equally unprepared (these aren't comic-book baddies) things could still play out in their favor. These touches go a long way to overcome a pacing that sometimes lags and dialogue that varies from cleverly real to less so.
But that is not to say the film is without flaws and unfortunately, even considering the extensive good will I extended the project (or more accurately, the project "earned") the accumulation of these flaws seriously has dampened my enthusiasm for it. Although the two women are distinctly drawn as individuals, and comfortable enough around each other, I didn't always feel that they would have been as close as we have to accept them as being. There was something missing there that simply couldn't be excused away as "part of them growing apart" and this relationship is the core of the movie. Technically, there is distractingly wobbly, camera handling that continually pushed me out of the film; I should be thinking about what the characters are feeling, or what the filmmakers are saying, not why the DP didn't use a tripod for a simple stationary shot! I mention camera operation as distinct from the actual quality of the photography, which was acceptable; no, it was just the unnecessary quivering, which wasn't being done to provide a faux documentary realism or to add subtle dramatic tension to simple close-ups; it was just poor quality work. But, by far, my greatest complaint is with the inclusion of a wholly unbelievable, contrived and manufactured character conflict, which pushed everything after it into a by-the-numbers scenario in order to get to the climax. I don't want to get into spoiler territory (because I AM recommending the film and other viewers might not be so disappointed that the writers adopted such a tired, well-worn, approach) but suffice it to say everything after it is is telegraphed to all but the most clueless viewers, and it even degenerates into the unbelievable coincidence that two people (one of whom is a complete stranger to the locale) could run off, separately, into the streets of Austin at night but end up on either side of the same door when peril strikes. And this gross defying of logic seems performed simply to tie up the aforementioned manipulated plot conflict and provide a pay-off to the repetition of one character's mantra, "you're always exactly where you're supposed to be". I think that is a dubious thematic element in a film about the apocalypse unless you address the fact that the millions of burning dead were, likewise, meant to be burning to death, and what does that say in the grand scheme of things. Even the final bit of "action" is not only anti-climatically staged, it is unbelievable in the circumstances (of course the same flaw shows up, in a more epic fashion, at the climax to Ridley Scott's Prometheus - but that's not an excuse).
It's a shame the last half of the film, which shouldn't be missed because it includes the most impressive acting by Vera Miao, is also weighted down by the films weakest developments. It strained my patience from the moment it was introduced earlier in the film but making it the focus simply insisted the film wasn't about anything more unique than a thousand other "friends growing up" or "rom-com" flicks. Which I found rather sad. What was shaping up to be that ever elusive sparkling diamond in the rough - marred by crappy camera work - instead ended up falling further away from jewel status. The filmmakers might not have wanted to attempt anything more - in which case they did really well with what they tried - but I wish they would have had more faith in themselves and accepted a greater challenge. Ambition is one of the things that defines Art. Even with their budget and constraints they might have come closer to making a classic if they had just tried.
8 Reviews
Seeking a 'Thelma and Louise' for the End of the World
electric-sheep-676-3172474 May 2013
Best Friends Forever is a low-budget, part-crowd-funded film currently travelling around festivals in the USA and internationally, starring Brea Grant (who probably remains best known for playing the sparky, super-speedy Daphne in Heroes) and Vera Miao, both of whom also handled various production duties along with a predominantly female crew.
Looking to piece her life back together after a turbulent experience, Los Angeles-based Harriet (Grant) heads out one last time with best friend Reba (Miao) for grad school in Austin. Shortly after they hit the open road, however, we see a mushroom cloud billow on the distant horizon behind them. Although the girls are cheerfully oblivious at first, as they approach Texas sinister travellers emerge from the desert, tensions rise and secrets surface, not just about the nuclear disaster but also Harriet and Reba themselves, with big consequences for their friendship.
As a sci-fi road movie focused on the bond between girls, BFF is an intriguing prospect given the recent popularity of that mixture of genres and its typically male focus. Certainly, the film throws in a lot of potentially interesting elements and quirks, ranging from Harriet's unusual job as a comic book art inker to several dramatic revelations that cast the trip in a very different light. It's disappointing, then, that the film doesn't really take these ideas anywhere. In fairness, road movies are usually very episodic and therefore sometimes prone to introduce encounters and expectations only to drop them just as quickly. All the same, I couldn't help feeling there was a better, more cohesive story waiting to be told here if only the film had kept to a sharper structure and actively done something with the genre conventions it plays with. In this respect, the film it reminded me of most was Night of the Comet, a low-budget 1984 post-apocalyptic sf/horror/comedy centring on two valley girls (much better than it sounds), but BFF lacked the wit, not to mention the instant quote-ability, of this earlier movie.
Part of this weakness, sadly, comes from the fact that Harriet and Reba are not set up especially convincingly as close friends, and for the story to work for me I really needed to be invested in their relationship. Grant and Miao's performances are enjoyable, relaxed enough to be credible in themselves and not stagey, especially when it really counts. Their characters are likable, if thinly drawn. Also, Grant offers a rather different performance from her role in Heroes, at least to my recollection. It's clear that the women playing these roles must have a good friendship, but the script doesn't really allow that to shine through (more scenes with them together at the start might have helped). Several story developments and the actions needed to set them in motion also come across as heavily contrived, recalling those moments in horror films where characters do ridiculous things even when they know the risks, but lacking the same fun anticipation. It also takes the characters a remarkably long time and a lot of strange behaviour to work out what the audience already knows from a very early stage. Perhaps the film would have worked better if we were kept as much in the dark as they were and obliged to put 2 and 2 together. The tone is also very uneven in places, making BFF's refusal to poke a bit further into some aspects of its story frustrating.
It's certainly not a total loss. The risk with low-budget sci-fi is that a film will push for visuals and a scope beyond its means, but BFF wisely concentrates on character rather than special effects. The locations are very well-chosen and save for a couple of rather jarring parts the film looks and sounds good. A nice line of humour runs throughout, especially when the film toys with some apocalyptic genre expectations (watching it with a savvy audience at a sci-fi film festival was especially fun). In general the film is very competently put together. It's just the script and story that let it down, a bit of a fatal flaw in such an insistently character-driven movie.
On the one hand, Best Friends Forever is more enjoyable and much more of a crowd-pleaser (assuming the crowd is already sympathetic to light sci- fi) than some other low-budget indie debuts I've seen recently. It's also very encouraging to see a partly crowd-funded project make it to completion and have some screenings overseas. On the other, I came away from it feeling pretty unsatisfied given that it seemed to have so many interesting but unexplored details. It definitely deserves a solid showing on the festival circuit, and for a first-time sf festival goer it made a nice change from the kitschiness I was expecting, but it's unlikely to stick in your memory.
Looking to piece her life back together after a turbulent experience, Los Angeles-based Harriet (Grant) heads out one last time with best friend Reba (Miao) for grad school in Austin. Shortly after they hit the open road, however, we see a mushroom cloud billow on the distant horizon behind them. Although the girls are cheerfully oblivious at first, as they approach Texas sinister travellers emerge from the desert, tensions rise and secrets surface, not just about the nuclear disaster but also Harriet and Reba themselves, with big consequences for their friendship.
As a sci-fi road movie focused on the bond between girls, BFF is an intriguing prospect given the recent popularity of that mixture of genres and its typically male focus. Certainly, the film throws in a lot of potentially interesting elements and quirks, ranging from Harriet's unusual job as a comic book art inker to several dramatic revelations that cast the trip in a very different light. It's disappointing, then, that the film doesn't really take these ideas anywhere. In fairness, road movies are usually very episodic and therefore sometimes prone to introduce encounters and expectations only to drop them just as quickly. All the same, I couldn't help feeling there was a better, more cohesive story waiting to be told here if only the film had kept to a sharper structure and actively done something with the genre conventions it plays with. In this respect, the film it reminded me of most was Night of the Comet, a low-budget 1984 post-apocalyptic sf/horror/comedy centring on two valley girls (much better than it sounds), but BFF lacked the wit, not to mention the instant quote-ability, of this earlier movie.
Part of this weakness, sadly, comes from the fact that Harriet and Reba are not set up especially convincingly as close friends, and for the story to work for me I really needed to be invested in their relationship. Grant and Miao's performances are enjoyable, relaxed enough to be credible in themselves and not stagey, especially when it really counts. Their characters are likable, if thinly drawn. Also, Grant offers a rather different performance from her role in Heroes, at least to my recollection. It's clear that the women playing these roles must have a good friendship, but the script doesn't really allow that to shine through (more scenes with them together at the start might have helped). Several story developments and the actions needed to set them in motion also come across as heavily contrived, recalling those moments in horror films where characters do ridiculous things even when they know the risks, but lacking the same fun anticipation. It also takes the characters a remarkably long time and a lot of strange behaviour to work out what the audience already knows from a very early stage. Perhaps the film would have worked better if we were kept as much in the dark as they were and obliged to put 2 and 2 together. The tone is also very uneven in places, making BFF's refusal to poke a bit further into some aspects of its story frustrating.
It's certainly not a total loss. The risk with low-budget sci-fi is that a film will push for visuals and a scope beyond its means, but BFF wisely concentrates on character rather than special effects. The locations are very well-chosen and save for a couple of rather jarring parts the film looks and sounds good. A nice line of humour runs throughout, especially when the film toys with some apocalyptic genre expectations (watching it with a savvy audience at a sci-fi film festival was especially fun). In general the film is very competently put together. It's just the script and story that let it down, a bit of a fatal flaw in such an insistently character-driven movie.
On the one hand, Best Friends Forever is more enjoyable and much more of a crowd-pleaser (assuming the crowd is already sympathetic to light sci- fi) than some other low-budget indie debuts I've seen recently. It's also very encouraging to see a partly crowd-funded project make it to completion and have some screenings overseas. On the other, I came away from it feeling pretty unsatisfied given that it seemed to have so many interesting but unexplored details. It definitely deserves a solid showing on the festival circuit, and for a first-time sf festival goer it made a nice change from the kitschiness I was expecting, but it's unlikely to stick in your memory.
Bamboo toothpicks, anyone?
Angry_Santa14 May 2020
Be sure to put a packet of bamboo toothpicks in your pocket before embarking on a viewing of this "creation" - you'll be poking them under your fingernails to distract you from the pain your eyes, ears and brain are suffering.
Seriously, this movie is just like "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" - but with none of the humour and none of the "deep and meaningful" conversations (yes, it really IS that bad).
Seriously, this movie is just like "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" - but with none of the humour and none of the "deep and meaningful" conversations (yes, it really IS that bad).
Strong performances from Brea Grant and Vera Miao.
ThreeGuysOneMovie31 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Best Friends Forever is basically a buddy road trip movie. What sets it apart from other road movies is that their is a nuclear apocalypse while they are traveling. Sort of a Thelma and Louise meets Mad Max combination except that nobody is driving around in muscle cars. Instead the two protagonists are crossing the desert in a Mercury Pacer. Brea Grant plays Harriet, a comic book artist who lives in LA with her best friend Reba (Vera Miao). Harriet is looking to make some changes in her life and has decided to move to Austin to work at a library and go back to school. She convinces Reba to come along with her on the road trip. While they are traveling, LA and several other major cities are destroyed by a nuclear attack. Since Harriet and Reba are in the middle of nowhere in the desert, they are unaware of the events that have taken place. They blissfully continue on their journey until they decide to pick up a group of hipsters who are hitchhiking. The young men end up stealing Harriet's car and all of her and Reba's belongings leaving them to fend for themselves. While they try and find their way back to civilization their friendship is tested as they try to work together to survive.
Quality Movie
cB3915 July 2013
Best Friends Forever (2013) is a movie written by Brea Grant and Vera Miao, directed by the first, and starring both of them as the main characters. The movie starts by alluding to the characters personalities and their pasts, their tensions and their shared relationship. The pacing is a bit slow and explores the apocalypse through the eyes of two women who are oblivious to it for the most part. It explores the harsh realities of a nuclear attack; the vast number of casualties, the limited resources and the heightened levels of violence and rape, as well as police corruption. If you plan on watching this movie, there are some parts which are hilarious, some parts that may be awkward and some disgusting. Overall, it requires you to get in touch with the characters and to see the intersecting approach of race and gender in times of crises.
The storyline is well thought out and does have an empowering aspect (the female is not simply being objectified) as well as trying to move past simple stereotypes. It tries to stay away from the gore, the actual explosion and focuses on survival, and how to move on. Not wanting to spoil the character's and their separate journeys, it is safe to say that the two main characters are juxtaposed at times, but it is their bond that helps them throughout the film as well as provides meaning. Both Harriet and Reba gain a sense of self by separating themselves from the other; and through this gain a sense of individuality.
The sound, lighting and pace are all decent to good, and help to set the tone for the movie. I found this movie to be extremely worth the 88 minute version (IMDB says 113, so I might have seen a different cut). I would definitely recommend it to people who want to see some character development, a well written and directed piece, and can sit through a slower paced film. The trailer does not capture the film at all, it is not as dark as it is painted, and much of the movie takes place outside time in a way (though supporting characters do have knowledge of the apocalypse and their actions are determined by that).
The ratings for this film will range from 3-7 on average, but because the film does what it seeks to do, does not try too hard, stray from their premise, I would rate it a 8/10.
The storyline is well thought out and does have an empowering aspect (the female is not simply being objectified) as well as trying to move past simple stereotypes. It tries to stay away from the gore, the actual explosion and focuses on survival, and how to move on. Not wanting to spoil the character's and their separate journeys, it is safe to say that the two main characters are juxtaposed at times, but it is their bond that helps them throughout the film as well as provides meaning. Both Harriet and Reba gain a sense of self by separating themselves from the other; and through this gain a sense of individuality.
The sound, lighting and pace are all decent to good, and help to set the tone for the movie. I found this movie to be extremely worth the 88 minute version (IMDB says 113, so I might have seen a different cut). I would definitely recommend it to people who want to see some character development, a well written and directed piece, and can sit through a slower paced film. The trailer does not capture the film at all, it is not as dark as it is painted, and much of the movie takes place outside time in a way (though supporting characters do have knowledge of the apocalypse and their actions are determined by that).
The ratings for this film will range from 3-7 on average, but because the film does what it seeks to do, does not try too hard, stray from their premise, I would rate it a 8/10.
very good!
ssto13 July 2013
i liked it very much! the story is very well developed, with hints of the life situations of the two girls and also of the grander picture, but it's the road trip of the two girls that we're following.
as on any road trip, there are 'interesting' encounters. it is kinda funny that the girls accept the people they meet and things that are happening to them not as something extraordinary (having no clue of the bigger accident), but more like normal and take it only unfortunate that it was them that stood on their way...like saying people do crazy and bad stuff in normal circumstances and you have to live with this, so is this really how you want to look at the world around you? so thats a good one, if you're willing to interpret it this way ;-).
very good production, very professional and really top class.
when will major studios learn that we're sick of them brainwashing us with their bulls# "movies"?
as on any road trip, there are 'interesting' encounters. it is kinda funny that the girls accept the people they meet and things that are happening to them not as something extraordinary (having no clue of the bigger accident), but more like normal and take it only unfortunate that it was them that stood on their way...like saying people do crazy and bad stuff in normal circumstances and you have to live with this, so is this really how you want to look at the world around you? so thats a good one, if you're willing to interpret it this way ;-).
very good production, very professional and really top class.
when will major studios learn that we're sick of them brainwashing us with their bulls# "movies"?
An indie gem about apocalypse
brianbyrne-521618 July 2018
I'm so glad this movie made it to Amazon Prime so it has a chance of greater pick up. Two friends struggling with the drama of the post college transition into real life, road trip their way into a United States experiencing trauma on a national level. Yes, it's a little rough in places, but it delivers far beyond it's budget.
It's not a blockbuster, it's about people
refspn30 April 2021
This is a fine piece of minimalist art about 2 young people, each trying to get started, who unknowingly end up in the middle of catastrophe. What "action" takes place is integral and necessary to the story. The focus is unerringly and uninterruptedly centered on each of them separately and as they relate to each other. Well acted, well directed, well filmed, well edited. Well worth a watch!
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