Dir. Truman Kewley (2023)
A mentally unstable man searches for a woman who won't leave him.
There's something so unshakably terrifying about the incel movement. For those not in the know, incel is short for involuntary celibate, and it's generally a terminally online group of males who believe that women owe them sex and companionship. They also believe that this is the only purpose for women, that they are to be used by men as they see fit as purely sexual objects. It's an incredibly dark subculture, and it's led to multiple mass shootings, horrific crimes, and some of the most deeply disturbing corners of the internet. Inspired by incel shooters like Elliot Rodger, Beautiful Friend tells the story of one such man who is bound and determined to find a woman who will never leave him.
The plot of the film is incredibly simple: a lonely man, Daniel (Adam Jones), whose life is filled with desperation and unrequited desire. He desperately wants a soulmate, but he lacks all of the social skills to find someone who wants the same from him. Because he is unable to obtain what he wants, he seeks to take it by force. He kidnaps Madison (Alexandrea Meyer), brutalizing her and eventually bringing her into his home as his soulmate. It's the typical thought process of an incel, and it's an entirely antisocial point of view that's difficult to truly understand for those who aren't already insane.
The philosophy of the film is incredibly disturbing, and the vast majority of the script is Daniel's disgustingly libertarian diatribe lamenting the state of the world through the lens of his particular situation. The irony of the incel movement is that their sole desire is to obtain a woman, essentially as their property, and yet every fiber of their being hates women. Beautiful Friend is psychologically violent and logically inconsistent, a true look inside the mind of one of these men (and I use that term loosely). It's so hard to watch and even harder to listen to, because it's such an offputting philosophy that it's difficult to even hear the words spoken out loud.
The weird thing about the incel movement is that, despite how dangerous, unhinged, and despicable their personal philosophy might be, it's also deeply fascinating. It's not the good kind of fascinating, but rather the kind that's usually reserved for the more bizarre or extreme elements of society. Ironically, though the movement itself is caused by "men trying to be men" and people who believe, absurdly, that men are undervalued in today's society, it's this exact treatment, the treatment that they believe they are already receiving, that may be the antidote. Perhaps when we cover the movement, we should talk about them like the useless piles of flesh that they are. Don't be afraid to call them crybaby failures of humanity. Don't pull punches with these dumbass antisocial losers. Maybe it will escalate their behavior. But maybe, just maybe, it will force them to pull back and realize that they don't have to waste their lives by feeling that everyone hates them, and they may start making something of themselves that's worthy of respect.
Films like this are maddening. It's like the American Psycho effect, where any film whose script is largely the ramblings of a psychopath begins to feel like its audience is being bashed about the head with psychobabble. Much like American Psycho, that's sort of the point in Beautiful Friend. The audience is not supposed to buy into what's being said, but to be disgusted by every word that comes from Daniel's mouth. That is the goal, and it's an effective one. It's incredibly disturbing, and it's horrifying that there are actually people in the world who feel the way that the main character feels in this film.
The damage that has been done through content creators like Andrew Tate and communities like Men Going Their Own Way is immeasurable. Young men today almost have no chance, with the subculture becoming inseparable from the actual act of growing up. The impact these communities are having on society at large is terrifying, and in a world of increasingly isolating social media and young people who are terminally online, it's inescapable at a certain point. It begins to be a matter of mitigation rather than prevention. I am practically a free speech absolutist, and someone who believes that all speech is good, even when its reprehensible. That said, the jailing of people like Tate, who committed far more crimes than being a piece of shit philosophically, certainly doesn't hurt.
This review got away from me a little bit, and it's become a lot longer than I'd usually allow it to be. Beautiful Friend is worth the dive, however, because it's a vitally important film for people who are not familiar with the people who really believe these things. It does ramble a bit, and the dedication to presenting Daniel's mindset makes it a tough watch, but it's a story that needs to be told. This is a violent subculture with abhorrent views, and its one that needs to be taken completely seriously. I appreciate that Beautiful Friend does that, as disturbing as it may ultimately be. For a film that seeks to be as disgusting and disconcerting as possible, it certainly hits that mark.
Who this movie is for: Social horror fans, Psychological horror devotees, Men's Rights Movement members
Bottom line: Beautiful Friend is disturbing, haunting, and a pitch perfect representation of the real life that some young men live in the world today. It's a great breakdown of the philosophy of the incel community, and it's terrifying in its scope. The actors are fantastic, the writing is stellar, and the direction by placing the film in a found footage style through a lot of the runtime is an excellent choice. This is a great film for disturbing horror fans, or for those who are familiar with the subject matter.
