Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero, the team that brought you The Room and The Disaster Artist, have a new film coming to digital on September 25th: Best Friends Vol.1.
Background
I have been following the careers of Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero since I first was given a copy of The Room to watch. Like many of the fans of The Room, I was fascinated not only by the film but the circumstances involving its creation. So I watched anything that the duo may have starred in, including Retro Puppet Master, The House That Dripped Blood on Alex, and read Sestero’s book, The Disaster Artist, which became an award-winning film in 2017. So when I heard that they completed a new project Best F(r)iends Vol. 1, I was intrigued, to say the least.
My Interview With Tommy and Greg
The Movie Itself
Best F(r)iends Vol.1 is a dark, melancholy California story in the style of Nightcrawler. I often felt while watching it that it had a touch of David Lynch to it. Sestero plays John Kortina, a homeless man begging on the streets when he runs into a mortician, Harvey Lewis played by Tommy Wiseau, who takes him in and gives him a job working in his mortuary. The two begin to bond and shortly after go on some dark adventures. The film was directed by Justin MacGregor, who Sestero says was a fan of The Room and a film student who he approached to direct the film because he wanted himself and Wiseau to focus on their roles during the production. This was Sestero’s second time as a writer, following up the very successful Disaster Artist, and he has also written a sequel, Best F(r)iends Vol.2.
Recommendation
I would recommend Best F(r)iends Vol.1 to fans of the duo as well as people who enjoy indy films that are a bit on the dark side. It is very different than The Room or The Disaster Artist, so do not expect a “so bad it is good” experience. It is a slow burn—more an introspective character study—and Sestero gives a great performance as a man trying to find an identity. So if you are looking for an interesting film that is off the beaten path, Best F(r)iends Vol.1 makes for a great rental for your next viewing night.
A copy of Best F(r)iends Vol. 1 was provided by One Media for the purposes of this review and interview.
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