Spirit of Friendship

I haven't seen the movie and I don't plan to.

All I know is that kid Mike in the movie is my absolute MORTAL LEAST FAVORITE CHARACTER EVER. Don't ask why Don't watch the movie btw it's terrible.

Can I talk to you about how terrible the kid acting Mike is? I don't know who this Luca kid is but he's terrible trust me, I actually do but if I say who I am he might get me.

Blahablabalabahalbakabakahabalak I Don't watch the movie it's bad, acting is horrible they're reading off the script clearly.

They've clearly never practiced together and haven't put ANY passion into the movie.

The trailer looks like it was made on capcut too it's so unprofessional, actually capcut trailers are better 😭

Truly awful. The acting is dreadful. Sounds like they are reading from a script instead of acting.

The story is terrible too, but the acting is the biggest let down. Really is like no one prepared and the acting is robotic.

Feels like the kids in it, wrote it as it's that bad! So many kids can act great, these aren't those.

Not sure if they are all just friends of whoever wrote it perhaps.

If you like watching kids act badly and a terrible storyline, this if the film for you. If you like a half decent film, skip this one or watch some paint dry, it's much better.

Not many ratings as at the time of writing there is only one other review.

I like Spirit of Friendship because of the gorgeous scenery, appeal to kids, fitting background music and meaningful theme. Although there are some awkward moments, it is a good family friendly film.

The storyline follows Billy (Jeremy London) recalling his experience dealing with his mother's death. Twelve-year-old Billy (Carter Grassi) and his friends, Mike (Luca Corticelli) and Jake (Dante Corticelli), try to communicate with Billy's deceased mom's spirit and meet two women, Emma (Delaney Miclette) and her friend Abby (Brianna Gleason) - Emma is sympathetic, but Abby is disrespectful and mocks him. As he struggles to cope with his emotions, a mysterious man named Leonard (Sal Rendino) mysteriously shows up to help Billy deal with his grief.

This is a film about friendship; we watch Billy's friends help him deal with his grief and support his ideas about talking to his mom's spirit. One thing I like about Spirit of Friendship is the scenery and gorgeous sets that make this film look real. When Billy and his friends are walking through a forest trail, there are spectacular trees with autumn leaves falling everywhere. The background music always compliments the scenes. For example, when Billy is having fun with Mike and Jake, there is upbeat pop music. I like that this movie includes contemporary slang that kids can relate to. Mike and Jake use words like "mid" - for mediocre. This is relatable because kids actually use that slang. I am impressed with the acting of Sal Rendino who plays Leonard. He serves as Billy's role model, which makes a lot of sense. There are some awkward moments such as when the actors repeatedly stutter their lines or times when the acting seems awkward. Whenever Emma talks to Billy, it feels off. The emotional connection that Emma and Billy are supposed to have does not quite come off as real and this makes their dialogue feel corny.

The film's message is to value the people around you. It is important to treasure the people who love you especially when you are suffering from a loss. Be forewarned that there is some harsh language and minor swearing.

I give Spirit of Friendship 3.5 of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It begins streaming on August 13, 2024. By Zoe C., KIDS FIRST!