Less Than An Hour
Friend Of The World
Stars: Nick Young, Alexandra Slade, Michael C. Burgess, Kathryn Schott, Kevin Smith and Luke Anthony Pensabene
Director/Scriptwriter: Brian Patrick Butler
Composer: Stefan Krut
Cinematography: Ray Gallardo
Charybdis Pictures/Gray Area Multimedia
Not Rated but could be R for violence
Running length: 50 Minutes
“Friend of the World” would have made a better radio drama than a film. That way, you wouldn’t have to look at the screen, but listen to Nick Young as General Gore (you read that name right) emote. Young has a voice that is a cross between Anthony Hopkins (enunciation) and a slight rasp that is the late actor, Gerald Mohr. Alexandra Slade as Diane Keaton (you read that name right, too) tries to hold her own in this film, but it is the General all the way. The film is in black and white with some color footage.
“Friend of the World” could be the end of the world…or not. Then, again, two people who end up in a scrappy bunker are sure of targeting one thing---survival. The General rescues Diane when she falls into his bunker with her camera equipment. Yes, she is a filmmaker, with the name of Diane Keaton. The General has an old tape recorder/radio combo and you wonder just how long he has been there. From then on, we get lectures and speeches from the General while all Diane wants is to get out of there somewhat intact. There is even an occasional visitor in the bunker area. What happened outside the bunker? Was it a plague (Covid on the march?) Some kind of alien invasion? A government take-over that failed? (reference “Twilight Zone”) Or, there-really-are-zombies-and-
The film is divided into sequences so the audience knows what will direction the film is going next.. 50 minutes is an adequate length for “Friend of the World,” and both lead actors will be noticed for their performances.
Copyright 2021 Marie Asner
