We Are Your Friends Review
RYAN: This movie makes me feel skeptical, or jaded or insert any dissenting word, because it’s about a DJ and I just didn’t predict much connection to the characters, the story, reality, etc… Not that it needs to feel real but the story has to hook you, ya know?
CAROLINE: Oh honey, preaching to the choir. So how was it?
RYAN: Better than expected but barely. It’s a R rated party movie for the college set but not much of a party. It focuses on Z’Efron’s DJ character and his friends. But where it lacks on bromance, it makes up for on music. The film shines in that department.
CAROLINE: It’s a movie with music, not a musical.
RYAN: Correct. Zac has apparently hung up his musical shoes. This best sequence in this movie is when Zac’s character deconstructs the building of a DJ’s music track. It’s all to do with heartbeat and rhythm and it was quite brilliant. That, alone, would have been an outstanding short film. But overall in about 90 minutes, this movie isn’t anything special.
CAROLINE: Who else is in it?
RYAN: I recognized one random actress from popular Vine videos and then there’s Wes Bentley who really steals scenes from Zac. He has a lot more soul. It actually works for their respective characters and how they relate to one another since Wes is in the mentor role, but he’s still a finer actor.
CAROLINE: I like him too. But let’s get real. Is the Z’Efron shirtless at all?
RYAN: He works his arms a lot but nothing gratuitous.
CAROLINE: Useless.
RYAN: (laughs) Some of the film is shot and edited like a music video. It’s not distracting from the story though. And I liked the creative use of words and graphics on screen. You don’t feel much empathy for these guys, however. They’re kinda bums who don’t try too hard and just party and do drugs.
CAROLINE: Yeah that would be a hard sell.
RYAN: Thankfully the music is very good. It all elevates the film, even when the story loses focus about three quarters of the way through. There’s a love triangle and a small twist. Emily Ratajkowski is a knockout and strong between Zac and Wes.
CAROLINE: She is gorge. She was also in Gone Girl.
RYAN: Ultimately, it’s makes a cool point about the relationship between the body and music which I found unique and appealing. You really see a music track coming together by layering different sounds. It reminded me a bit of August Rush that way. And while it ends with a bit of depth, it’s not a must see on the big screen.
