A young boy sets out on a mission to speak with his mother in the afterlife while still coming to terms with her passing. This is director and writer Danny Le Gare’s Spirit Of Friendship.
Spirit of Friendship is a heart-warming independent film that brings to mind the definitive coming-of-age drama Stand By Me; even opening with a similar framing device of the older protagonist recounting his childhood experiences. For Richard Dreyfuss in Rob Reiner’s classic, here we get the effective Jeremy London, a well-known face from his numerous film and TV appearances particularly starring roles in 90’s teen show Party Of Five and Kevin Smith’s popular slacker film Mallrats. London plays the adult Billy who begins to tell his own life story to his children. It is from his narration we meet young Billy played by Carter Grassi who is struggling with the loss of his mother. Yearning for some sort of connection & explanation, Billy and his friends embark on a well-meaning but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to contact her in the afterlife.
After some failed attempts at connecting a chance encounter changes everything for Billy when he meets an elderly man named Leonard the enigmatic Sal Rendino, while visiting his mother’s grave at the cemetery. Their unlikely friendship grows as they delve into deep conversations about life, love, and how we can always remember those we hold dear. TV veteran Rendino shines during these moments and through their interactions Billy discovers that the love he has for his mother is the key to building strong relationships. With Leonard as his confidante, Billy comes to understand that love is more than physical and his new way of looking at things allows him to strengthen relationships with his father and friends.
Much like the coming-of-age genre, Spirit of Friendship explores the usual themes of bullying, which Billy has to deal with, and of course first love. Billy has feelings for his friend Emma who interestingly is the younger sister of Billy’s bully. This idea in particular is a nice touch but unfortunately, it isn’t looked at in great detail which is a missed opportunity however it does manage to add a little more depth to the story.
As a partnership director Le Gare and cinematographer Tyler Saari are able to create some lovely visuals that help to complement the film’s story. Their camerawork avoids unnecessary movements choosing to focus on the characters’ journey while using a variety of wide shots to establish the green and brown landscapes surrounding the small town. The use of close-ups during moments of emotion is effective and this, allows us to connect with the characters’ thoughts and feelings. Meanwhile, LeGare’s script successfully incorporates humour and light-hearted moments, particularly through Billy’s interactions with his friends, and while the writing occasionally relies on forced slang to sound modern and the timelines between Adult Billy and young Billy doesn’t quite add up, the message of friendship and the importance of remembering loved ones is constant throughout.
Spirit of Friendship does contain some minor flaws, but its positive story, strong message, and exploration of complex themes make it a worthwhile watch. It reminds us that the connections we forge with loved ones endure, even after they are gone.
Leave a Reply