Review of Buddymoon (2016) by Jsedwards — 03 Jul 2016

This is, in simplest form, a self-discovery movie with two friends leaving us wondering how much is autobiographical. For the sake of film there's a storyline, a build-up, and a bittersweet completion, but at its core for many of us is an un-embellished look at finding oneself when events occur counter to what we think we have planned.

Flula is Flula, and that's as genuine a portrayal of a guile-less best friend that we all wish we had. David's straight man to Flula's energetic persona works because, simply put, their friendship is genuine and on display. David captures identifying self-absorption and the catastrophic self-destruction is can cause exceptionally well. The characters were believable in both strengths and flaws.

The length of the movie was proper. There was no need to over-complicate with additional characters, plot complexity, and gimmick - this movie just works. It feels like it is, two friends in some absurdly odd situations hiking through Oregon's unparalleled nature. And the truth of it is this: absurdly odd situations happen when friends get together and take action on a whim.

The cinematography of the film captures Oregon so well, and even for those of you whom have never been there, it still doesn't do it justice. Alex Simmons's crew did an excellent job with casting, filming, and telling a concise story.

In an era of overproduction, international budgets and marketing, And story lines that are either woefully rehashed from successful predecessors or just overly complex, it's nice to see a movie that's two friends, walking around, helping one another find their own personal cores.

And at the end? This movie identified three necessities for all: You should make time and hike Oregon, you should see this movie, and you should find a friend like Flula.