The story is set in the 1990s, the era of VHS. 40-year-old chaste David unsuccessfully tries to find a girl through a dating agency (a kind of Tinder in ancient times on a VCR). He has to take care of his mother, who has dementia, so he has almost no free time for nightlife. One day he comes across a videotape “Friend for hire”, in which the sweet and charismatic Andy (Wil Whitan is Sheldon’s sworn enemy from “TBV”) offers his friendship, but not everything is so simple. . .
A low-budget chamber thriller, built mainly on dialogue, which play an important role, revealing the character of David, his fears and complexes. The film touches on the topic of the relationship between man and technology, so relevant in our days, when everyone around is shakingly dependent on gadgets, and in reality are lonely and unhappy.
David’s burden is tragic: he is forced to put an end to his personal life, entertainment and work, caring for his mother, and it is this situation that triggers a series of strange events. And the piercing and hopeless loneliness of the protagonist is gradually transmitted to the viewer. Self-sacrifice for a loved one, is everyone ready for this? During the viewing, the question arises how he would act in such a situation. To give in to temptations and dispose of life as you wish, or to cross out youth, dreams and plans, caring for your mother until the last days?
Interesting and the idea of how David plays along the tape, as if communicating with a living friend. Watching this sad and at the same time terrifying, especially the behavior of Andy, becoming over time uncomfortable and infernal.
Moral: communicating with household appliances, do not go on flirting, otherwise one morning you draw to find a microwave or toaster in your bed.
As a result, a viscous and monotonous thriller, but at the same time a sad and tragic film about loneliness and how to overcome it.
6 out of 10