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Currently I’m listening to bebop (Fats Navarro and Tad Dameron are playing the hell out of “Lady Bird”), and that focused yet freewheeling spirit is evident in The Friendship Game. Horror-thriller fans will surely receive a shock or two from watching the film, but director Scooter Corkle has other ideas in mind.
Penned by Damien Ober, The Friendship Game centers on four teenagers (Peyton List, Brendan Meyer, Kelcey Mawema, Kaitlyn Santa Juana) whose lives are affected by a mysterious object. Found at a yard sale, this object, according to the previous owner (Miriam Smith), is supposed to test one’s friendship.
If that union proves to be true and strong, then everything is hunky dory and the game is one. If one fails “the friendship game,” then that person dies.
It’s a fine horror premise, and filmmaker Scooter Corkle infuses the narrative with a refreshing human touch that elevates the genre. The refreshingly interpretive ending was also refreshing, as well as his decision not to turn The Friendship Game into a slasher driven horror picture.
“(The Friendship Game) is a cosmic horror movie for sure,” said Corkle. “We do lean into the genre but at its core is heart and humanity.”
I will be posting Scooter Corkle’s discussion on the ending of The Friendship Game this weekend on our CinemAddicts Patreon Feed. Interview is below:
The Friendship Game is now in theaters and is available on Digital and On Demand!
Check out our review of The Friendship Game on the Find Your Film podcast: