Find Your Friends (Full Review)

There is nothing surprising when I say that women go through a lot of horrors in life and deal with so much. The horror genre can be a space to talk about the real-life horrors people go through. Sometimes it can come accross as something therapeutic or just starting a conversation about a well-needed topic. It is always great to see more and more female directors in the horror genre and them telling a very important story and perspective. Find Your Friends, directed by Izabel Pakzad, is about a group of friends that go to Joshua Tree on a trip, that turns into facing hostility within their own friend group and these other dangerous individuals. From the start of the movie, the film transports you right into the friend group. The way the camera moves and the way it is shot, it makes you feel like you are right there with them and experiencing the same things they are experiencing. You are immersed in the environment. Izabel beautifully directs this movie in a way that makes you feel like you are part of this realistic, gritty experience. Amber, played by Helena Howard, is our main protagonist who goes through a horrible experience from the very start of the movie, and we follow the after effects that progressively get worse and worse. Mix in a great ensemble cast for the friend group, and this movie delivers a chilling story that stays with you. The movie is fun, has a great soundtrack, and gets you in the party mood, but then twists into a darker story. It showcases the true horrors people can end up in if they are not too careful and explores toxic friend groups in a very clever way. We have a huge influence on our friends and vice versa. Pressure from friend groups is very much a real thing, and this movie highlights it perfectly. Find Your Friends will leave you feeling destroyed and reborn. Tragic in many ways, but therapeutic by the end. It has a release of emotions that connects it all together. A violent, but perfect ending.

This movie does a really good job at recreating the party scene of this newest younger generation. As a millennial, I’ve seen my fair share of horrible events at party scenes. Now more than ever, there seems to be a social pressure to go out, get drunk, hook up, and let loose any way possible. There is heavy abuse of drugs and alcohol in the film. Many scenes deal with sexual assault as well. Very troubling themes that are hard to watch, but important to witness in a story such as this. It is an absolutely disgusting and horrible thing these girls go through. You will be constantly screaming at the screen for the friends of Amber to be more supportive of her and the tragedy she experienced. The movie does a great job at building tension and making you feel uncomfortable. This type of story shouldn’t be fun; it should bring up conversations of real-life atrocities and how to hopefully prevent them. There has to be a sense of realism for this movie to work. That’s where the cast plays a major role. I thought Bella Thorne’s character was complex and had her own character arc. Everyone truly had their moment to shine in this story. What makes this movie terrifying are the villains in the film. This movie is not a hate message for men. It is a story about how dangerous men can be, though, and does so in a way that isn’t hitting you over the head with it. When it comes down to it, it is a movie about individualism, dealing with trauma, consent, and abuse. The movie moves like a thriller and digs deep into your skin. Find Your Friends finds light when it transitions to a revenge movie in the later half. Which, without spoilers, I do have to say that this movie gets pretty violent at times, and the special effects and makeup were very effective.

I think what makes this movie scary is the sense of realism. Zión Moreno, Chloe Cherry, and Sophia Ali round out the friend group and did a great job in their roles. Everyone bounced off each other so well. Each scene was elevated by their performances and how they interacted with one another. They truly cared about each other and were there to support each other for the most part, but you also understand the tension between them. When the going gets tough, it becomes a test to see how your friends show up. There are some heartbreaking moments where the friend group didn’t support each other and they just wanted to have a good time. It is a lesson about society really sweeping things under the rug and pretending everything is okay. It is all a ticking time bomb for a great third act that goes to some really crazy places. There are parts of this movie that I felt like I was drunk and high because of how the movie was shot. I was put into this vulnerability that the movie made me feel. I felt wronged when witnessing what was happening to them. At the end of the movie, it luckily becomes a good for her movie, but that doesn’t erase all the events that happened. Going on a girls’ trip is probably stressful enough, but this movie must make people feel even more uneasy about it all. I do think the movie does end on a high note. There are moments where some of the dialogue didn’t work for me, but overall the script had clear intentions and direction. The party sequences did get a bit repetitive at times as they rage pretty hard throughout the movie, but it also makes sense for the story.

Overall, Find Your Friends is an intense and horrifying film about the dangers of the world for women specifically. These are real fears that women have and is told in a realistic way. It does not shy away from the ugliness of it and the effects it has on people. This movie tackles a lot and has a lot to say. I love what Izabel was able to do with this movie and voice her story as she has experienced something similar. I’m sure that this movie will connect with a lot of people and have a lot to offer. I’m not even the target audience for this movie, and I’m screaming about it. Or maybe it is meant for everyone to see as it has so many valuable lessons. This movie blends sexy and horror all too well. Partying has and always will be dangerous. No matter how much fun it is, there are a million things that can go wrong. Some things are out of our control, and being intoxicated doesn’t help. It leaves people vulnerable and sometimes feel helpless. All the characters had their own personalities and meshed well with each other. It was a great ensemble cast to follow, and we get some really great scenes with each one of them. I think people will absolutely lose their minds with the final act of this movie. Release all your emotions and immerse yourself in this movie. You will not regret it.

Rating:76/100