‘Killer Friends’ is Clever and Fun (movie review)

 

Written by: Lois Kennedy

Director: Zach Noe Towers

Cast: Jenna-Lee Carreiro, Dave Racki, Peggy Sinnott, Zach Noe Towers

Four friends are going on a camping trip, three of whom have a sinister ulterior motive. Jill and her boyfriend Bryan who, along with Heather, are planning to kill Jill’s roommate Scott because, as Jill puts it, he’s “mean and crass and self-involved.” As the three conspirators vacillate about whether they want to go through with it, Scott’s thoughtless rudeness eggs them on.

It’s a short film, about 10 and a half minutes from start to finish, but it feels fully developed. The characters are sketched out satisfactorily and the pacing is perfect. The running gag of Scott unknowingly pissing off his friends is funny in a small dose, but probably would be tiresome for 90 minutes. And it is quite funny, especially how Jill and Bryan’s attempts to take him out backfire like in a Wile E. Coyote cartoon, complete with minimum injury from what should have been deadly accidents. The friends’ desire to kill Scott for what would seem to an outsider pretty small infractions is also pretty great.

Scott as a stereotypical gay guy should probably be offensive, but I found him charming even as he makes bitchy comments throughout.

He’s just so unaware that his comments about Bryan being poor and Heather being overweight (even though she’s not, which makes it even funnier) are mean. Also, he’s surrounded by seemingly heterosexual guys with gay leanings; Bryan is mentioned as trying to experiment with him (which Bryan initiated and not Scott), and in addition Scott says, “Where’s Heather? I think I slept with her stepdad.” Plus hey, Zach Noe Towers, who plays him, also directed.

Check it out if you’re in the mood for something amusing and concise.

Rating: 5/5

My apologies for not being able to find a trailer. There are plenty for some movie called A Killer Among Friends though if you’re interested in that. That said, we did just track down a cool behind the scenes video!