What to watch: Bad Together
Testing the limits of friendship between gay men.
In Bad Together, writer and director Jono Mitchell explores the evolution of a friendship between two gay men.
Over a period of four years, Robbie (Andrés Erickson) and Cameron (Queer Niro) learn to accept and love one another and themselves.
“I really wanted to explore the idea that a lot of the expectations we hold for ourselves and others can lead to sadness and conflict...” explains Jono Mitchell. “Fundamentally, you can connect with a person on the most basic level, but ultimately that connection still needs to be built on mutual expectation.”
The friendship begins between the two men on the night that Robbie is dumped and his girlfriend drags him to a house-party, where he meets Cameron. The two men are opposites, but hearing Robbie's dismay at having to start over and find a new group of friends, Cameron offers his friendship.
“I have an incredible friend who changed my life..." explains Jono Mitchell, reflecting on his inspiration for the story. "He is so special to me, but circumstances within our current stages of life drove us apart. When everything changed, I had to accept the version of friendship that I idealised didn’t exist anymore. What we became is just as special, but I think I’ll always grieve for what we had.”
“Robbie is a caring guy, but like me he has a tendency to overanalyse, and I think we both like to talk things out as opposed to allowing bad feelings to fester...” says Andrés Erickson, who plays the role of Robbie. “Robbie tends to be petty and more aggressive than I am."
“Cameron is me, just dialled up some notches...” adds Queer Niro adds, speaking about his character in the film. “Cameron is an endearing guy who longs to make something of his life but fears the possible consequences that come from change.”
Filmed in Atlanta, this is a nuanced and measured exploration of how adult gay men can experience friendship - and the complexities that can come with those relationships.
"People are complicated and they change and letting go can be necessary..." reflects Andrés Erickson, who delivers the stand-out performance in this cast. "It’s sad, but that doesn't always mean it's a bad thing.”
You can sometimes feel the limitations of this production - there is a lot of talking, verbalising of emotions, motivations, and reactions, and not a lot actually happens - but the premise is intriguing enough that it is watchable storytelling.
Bad Together releases December 5 via Dekkoo Films, a subsidiary of the Dekkoo streaming platform. It will be made available for TVOD rental across numerous platforms including Apple, Amazon, Google, and many others before arriving on the Dekkoo streaming platform in 2024.
For more information, visit www.dekkoo.com.