"Excruciatingly British Horror Comedy Of Manners"
The BFI are releasing the witty and frequently painfully well-observed British comedy ALL MY FRIENDS HATE ME on Blu-ray following its limited cinema release earlier this year.
Pete (Tom Stourton, who also co-wrote the film with Tom Palmer) is invited to celebrate his birthday by some old university friends at the country residence of the father of one of them. When he arrives at the house, after first losing his way and having to ask directions, no-one is there. When they eventually turn up they claim they were at the pub and had left a message for him. They've also brought with them local boy Harry (Dustion Demri-Burns) who quickly makes himself at home as part of the group and starts to behave oddly with Pete. As the weekend progresses more strange things happen as Pete finds himself digging ever deeper holes of embarrassment with both his friends and the locals. Things culminate in a bizarre stage play in which Pete himself is the star.
ALL MY FRIENDS HATE ME is comedy of the most exquisite, excruciatingly embarrassing kind. Fans of the writing of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, or Larry David's CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM will find much to enjoy cringing at here. Intended as a tale of 'millennial angst' it's an entirely successful combination of a keenly observed script coupled with pitch perfect performances and direction that ramps up the awkward tension.
The BFI's Blu-ray has a commentary track from the writers and director Andrew Gaynord, and the writers take centre stage for a 26 minute Q&A from last years London Film Festival. Other bits and pieces include seven minutes of deleted scenes, a four minute short film, a three minute comedy press junket, plus trailer, storyboard and production notes. Finally the first pressing comes with a booklet with 'statements' from both the writers and the director, plus a decent little potted history of comedy horror.
ALL MY FRIENDS HATE ME is out on Blu-ray from the BFI on Monday 29th August 2022
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