Do you know what a GBF is? I initially assumed it was going to be a film about a group of violent ex cons, who had found a peaceful existence in raising oxen, and chickens. Grievous Bodily Farm would be like a mixture between The Boondock Saints and Chicken Run and something I would definitely watch. But apparently it means gay best friend, which as the film illustrates is the platonic equivalent of a trophy wife for young female socialites.
In a nutshell the film takes place in a school that has yet to have anyone come out as gay despite all the celebrities in glossy magazines making it clear that the new must have accessory is a GBF or, Gay Best Friend. Brent and Tanner are best friends and both gay, Brent wants to be the most popular kid in school, and has concocted a plan to come out at the right time so as to cause a social bidding war for his friendship. Tanner wants nothing more than to make it through school, happy with the friends that he has. However Brent accidentally 'outs' Tanner leaving him whisked to the top of popularity with three different kinds of 'popular girl' stereotypes in teen films - the pretty blonde one, the sassy black one and the strangely seductive yet perfectly innocent religious and thick as shit one. Each equipped with their own brand of one-liners.
An alternative title for this film could have been 'Mean Gays', as it’s essentially Mean Girls with Lohan replaced by a homosexual man. I'm not sure if it makes it better or worse, that they shine a light on it by drawing attention to the similarities to both films frequently throughout, probably worse and I found myself cringing every time they referenced other movies. Simon Pegg and Tarantino get away with constant film references because they are subtle whereas this movie may as well have climbed out of the DVD player and tattooed the Mean Girls quotes all over the insides of my eye-lids, forcing me to cringe myself to sleep every night.
The film is full of cringey one-liners; Dad Jokes, Dad dancing, Dad sex conversations and catching Dad working at a fetish bar levels of cringey. But despite the lines that make me squeeze into myself like a lemon there is some pretty quality material that you’ll hear spouted by someone at some point in a Starbucks. Also like most Hollywood teen films it also tries to impart some sort of message to its young audience but instead of just shoving it in your face it’s delivered in a satirical way, borrowing from titles like Carrie and yes, Mean Girls.
The thing about GBF is that it is peppered with some relatively funny moments and though each character is a painful stereotype there is enough variety to keep you in your seat for the duration of the film. You certainly won't be running out to the street to tell everyone how absolutely fabulous it is though. The whole film feels dated and contrived, maybe this is more about me not being of high school age anymore and less about the film being shit, though maybe all our high school films were shit too, who knows.
Ultimately GBF felt like a mixture between Clueless and Mean Girls but lacking in any soul and though funny at points, felt like someone who wanted to make money from something he thought American teenagers gave a shit about created it.
GBF gets a 2/5, [★★☆☆☆]
Dave Roberts
G.B.F at CeX
