Almost Friends (2016 film)

Almost Friends is a 2016 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Jake Goldberger. The film stars Freddie Highmore, Odeya Rush, Haley Joel Osment, Christopher Meloni, and Marg Helgenberger.

Almost Friends
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJake Goldberger
Written byJake Goldberger
Produced by
  • Alex A. Ginzburg
  • Tony Lee
  • Jim Young
Starring
CinematographyJeremy Mackie
Edited byJulie Garces
Music byEric V. Hachikian
Production
companies
  • Let It Play
  • Animus Films
Distributed by
Release dates
  • October 14, 2016 (2016-10-14) (Austin)
  • November 17, 2017 (2017-11-17) (United States)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$46,376[1]

The film premiered on October 14, 2016 at the Austin Film Festival. It was released in North America on November 17, 2017, by Gravitas Ventures and Orion Pictures.

Plot

Charlie (Freddie Highmore) is an unmotivated man who lives at home with his mother (Marg Helgenberger) and stepfather while working at a small movie theatre and living vicariously through his best friend, Ben (Haley Joel Osment). His life takes an unpredictable turn however, when he finds himself falling for local barista Amber (Odeya Rush). Problem is, Amber has her own distractions: her mooching roommate (Jake Abel), a track star boyfriend (Taylor John Smith) and steadfast plans to move to New York City. On top of that, Charlie's estranged father (Christopher Meloni) unexpectedly re-enters his life just as he begins to take a long, hard look at where he's going and who he wants to be. With conflict after conflict piling on, will Charlie reach his tipping point or will he finally find the path forward?

Cast

Production

On August 18, 2015, it was announced that the production on comedy-drama film Holding Patterns was underway, starring Freddie Highmore, Odeya Rush, Haley Joel Osment, Rita Volk, Jake Abel, and Taylor John Smith.[2] Jake Goldberger was directing the film from his own screenplay, while Alex Ginzburg and Tony Lee would be producing the film through Let It Play, with Jim Young producing through Animus Films.[3] On August 26, 2015, Christopher Meloni and Marg Helgenberger joined the film's cast to play Howard and Samantha, respectively, and Gary Ray Moore also joined the cast.[4]

Principal photography began in Mobile, Alabama on July 27, 2015. Highmore and Volk were spotted shooting on location at Spanish Fort High School the following day.[5]

Release

In October 2017, Gravitas Ventures and Orion Pictures acquired distribution rights to the film, and set it for a November 17, 2017, release.[6]

Reception

Box office

Almost Friends has grossed a total worldwide of $46,376, and sales of its DVD/Blu-ray releases have cashed $16,355.[1]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, Almost Friends has an approval rating of 29% based on seven reviews, with an average rating of 5.1/10.[7]

In a positive review, Marjorie Baumgarten of the Austin Chronicle wrote, "[The film] has an easygoing charm that should earn it a solid place among the subset of movies about young people who emerge from their small-town cocoons and screw up their courage to take flight for the bright lights of New York City."[8] Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter described it less favorably as "a comic drama that's sometimes appealingly gentle but more often frustratingly amorphous" with "instances of wit and sensitivity scattered through the screenplay, but they have no cumulative impact amid the lackluster direction and general dearth of urgency."[9] Upon the film's theatrical release, Katie Walsh of the Los Angeles Times called the film's premise of Highmore's character, Charlie, tenuously pursuing a relationship with Rush's Amber despite her existing relationship, "painfully tone-deaf" in light of the onset of Me Too movement, suggesting it "feels like a relic of a bygone era, when movies could casually present stalking and coercion as acceptable forms of courtship."[10]

References
  1. "Almost Friends (2017)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
  2. Hipes, Patrick (August 18, 2015). "Freddie Highmore & Odeya Rush To Star In Indie 'Holding Patterns'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  3. Verhoeven, Beatrice (August 18, 2015). "Freddie Highmore, Odeya Rush, Haley Joel Osment Cast in Coming-of-Age Comedy 'Holding Patterns'". TheWrap. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  4. Lincoln, Ross A. (August 26, 2015). "Christopher Meloni & Marg Helgenberger Join 'Holding Patterns'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  5. Levins, Angela (August 12, 2015). "'Holding Patterns' filming features coastal Alabama athletes, Spanish Fort High". The Birmingham News.
  6. Busch, Anita (October 17, 2017). "'Almost Friends' Acquired By Gravitas Ventures; Grasshopper Picks Up Iranian Drama 'Ava'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  7. "Almost Friends (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 26, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  8. Marjorie Baumgarten (October 16, 2016). "Austin Film Festival Review: Holding Patterns". Austin Chronicle. Austin Chronicle Corp. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  9. Sheri Linden (November 17, 2017). "'Almost Friends': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  10. Katie Walsh (November 16, 2017). "Review: Ill-timed, tone-deaf 'Almost Friends' gets romance all wrong". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
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