Co-writer, director, and co-star Delaney Buffett weaves a punchy, funny, and heartfelt film about friendship and the sad truth that getting older doesn’t always mean growing up. In Adult Best Friends, Katie (co-writer Katie Corwin) and Delaney (Buffet) are inseparable. That is until Katie’s relationship with her boyfriend, John (Mason Gooding), begins to set the two best friends on different paths. Katie’s time becomes blander and more preoccupied with her relationship.
Still, Delaney spends her time partying and holding on to her youth. Not blind to the ever-growing distance between her and her friend, Katie panics when John proposes. Fearful that this could end her friendship with Delaney, Katie decides to take her on a girl’s trip to break the news. Katie’s plan for a quiet weekend to bond with Delaney is derailed as they deal with a peeping tom Airbnb host, a bachelor party, and Delaney’s urge to party.
“…Katie decides to take her on a girl’s trip to break the news.”
There is not one dull scene in Adult Best Friends. It’s obvious that Corwin and Buffett made sure to avoid any throwaway characters and include a laugh in each scene. Scenes are edited to a beat and never overstay their welcome. Information is given, laughs are hit, and we move on. Every character has a quirk, which is heightened by the quality of comedic acting. Everything feels grounded and relatable.
Buffett succeeds in capturing the hilarity in the everyday. From Airbnb rentals to work Zoom meetings to becoming new parents, the film accomplishes the rare feat of appealing to a wide audience. The story has verisimilitude. Shout out to producer and geek pundit Robert Meyer Burnett, who I believe receives a payment any time that word is used.
Adult Best Friends could have raised the stakes and made Delaney wilder than currently portrayed and could’ve heightened their girl’s trip to the level of The Hangover. It still could have worked and been even funnier, which might be something you find yourself wanting. It’s like seeing Unbreakable and wanting it to be The Avengers. Both are superhero movies, and both are great, but they satisfy two different cravings. I highly recommend this film.
"…punchy, funny, and heartfelt..."
