Cinematic Releases: Friendship Before Money: Best F(r)iends Volume Two (2018) - Reviewed



While I wouldn't say that the first volume of Best F(r)iends (2018) was a good movie, it was highly entertaining in its absurdity. Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero make a great team and the film used Wiseau's quirky personality to great effect. It ended on a cliffhanger of sorts and the second film picks up where the first film left off.


This movie definitely did not need to be split into two parts as there is no discernible story arc and not much forward motion. Honestly, it's just a bunch of scenes cobbled together with random weird stuff happening. That being said, it's completely enthralling in its strangeness. Things happen so inexplicably that you can't do anything but laugh in disbelief--I honestly felt like I had a 96 minute long psychotic break. I hate to use this cliche, but it definitely feels like a store brand David Lynch movie albeit with none of the artistry or careful use of surrealism.



The standout in this outing is Rick Edwards, who plays Uncle Rick, a super muscular and grizzled old dude with a penchant for midnight pull-ups and shirtless football tossing. He steals every scene he is in and is by far my favorite part of the film. I never thought I would be saying this, but this movie needed way more Tommy Wiseau! He is mostly in the last third of the film and everything feels a bit flat without his presence. If one were to choose a genre for Best F(r)iends, it would most likely be "black comedy" but it does some serious tone shifting in its short run time. It goes from silly to intense at the drop of a hat giving the viewers cinematic whiplash.

The music and cinematography are actually pretty good and there are a few great shots scattered throughout the film. At the very least on a technical level, this is the best looking film that Wiseau has starred in. Although the film really didn't need to be split up, it was amusing enough to justify another trip to the theater. Perhaps they will eventually combine the two films into Best F(r)iends: The Whole Bloody Affair for the home video release. This flick is for hardcore Tommy fans only, if his brand of idiosyncrasies isn't your bag then I would recommend skipping it. For everyone else there is a whole lot of fun to be had.


--Michelle Kisner