'All My Friends'
The endurance of the long-distance friendship.
Dear Moviegoers,
A story that follows the separation of two friends/lifemates, the independent film All My Friends is a tame exercise in cute annoyances and progressive goodbyes. It lingers, it longs, and it leaves without much to be said. Don't take these early words to mean that it's a boring picture, but rather one that extends past its expiration date.
Hmm, maybe that was harsh.
You see, All My Friends is about Allie and Jacob, two best friends and pseudo-bandmates who find their relationship at its end. They're an East Coast duo about to experience a whole country in between them when Allie gets a job offer in California. Jacob, as he is, behaves supportively on the outside, while clearly being a stick in the mud just under his skin. His dreams, no matter how fanciful or grandiose, always conflict with adult responsibilities, while Allie has her stuff together and is more than ready to move forward. And, frankly, move on. From Jacob.
To call All My Friends sad or bitter would be an almost sleight of sorts. The movie mostly moves from moment to moment as if going through the motions and preparing to get over itself, much like Allie. She doesn't dislike Jacob, nor does the film, but she's for sure at an end with him. How much longer must she humor his go-nowhere antics? Instead of being straight with him on this, Allie uses her new career opportunity as a way to reverse-engineer a guilt-trip on the guy, to make her leaving more accommodating. It's not an evil maneuver, but it is bitter. Jacob tries to act like a child, conversely, making the situation about himself. That's just sad.
No, the movie doesn't take a side, but it does observe how good of friends these two were, which is the least All My Friends presents. The most it does is create some sweet and odd attitudes between its leads, from revelations to resolutions. Things unsaid just floating in the air, waiting to burst like bubbles, but never releasing.
Never letting go? I get it. 2.5/5
All My Friends will screen and stream (in-person and online) as part of the 2026 SF IndieFest, from 2/5 to 2/15.