Partners focuses on power of friendship
The writers of Life Partners wanted to explore a different relationship than what most romantic comedies address. Instead of focusing on romance, the film portrays the strong bond between two best friends as they deal with dramatic life transitions in a hilarious and genuine light.
Sasha (Leighton Meester) and Paige (Gillian Jacobs), have a friendship that is most familiar to everyone: hosting weekly America’s Next Top Model marathons, complete with cheap wine and knowing everything about each other, right down to the preferred pillow type. But as they turn 29 in the film, they realize that adult responsibilities are no longer just far away worries, but instead, reality. As the two women grow older, their personality differences become more apparent.
Neither Sasha nor Paige are known for serious relationships. This all changes, however, when Paige meets Tim (Adam Brody), who she changes her lifestyle for, in hope that their romance can blossom into something serious. Meanwhile, Sasha continues to have casual flings, avoiding serious relationships. Sasha and Paige’s friendship changes slowly throughout the course of the movie. Small behavioral shifts can be seen. Paige starts skipping out on T.V. marathons for date nights with Tim, and after being ditched multiple times, Sasha feels replaced.
These are challenges that many pairs of best friends experience in real life a. As one friend hits a new phase or a coming of age, the relationship can get strained, making staying on the same page something that no longer comes naturally or effortlessly. Life Partners examines Sasha’s and Paige’s different approaches to adulthood, which proves to be the ultimate test of their friendship. In one of the movie’s more emotional scenes, Sasha pushes Paige to admit that her relationship with Tim has considerably impacted her life. “Nothing changed for you, it just changed for me,” she says tearfully. Growing up is scary for everyone, and it is even scarier to do when a best friend seems worlds away.
What makes Life Partners special is that it empathizes with young people’s fear of getting old, and it reveals the insecurities people can have about chasing their dreams. Sasha has been out of school for quite some time, working as a secretary while she gets her music career off the ground on the side. But after years of this, she still isn’t sure that music is what she wants to do. As a result, she unhappily clings to her youth’s fun familiarities: meaningless hookups, late-night mozzarella stick runs and her best friend, who is surpassing her romantically and professionally. Everyone is a little bit afraid of failure, of not being good enough or of not living life to the fullest, and Sasha’s character, especially, hits home with those fears.
Another one of the movie’s strengths is its sprinkling of comedic levity throughout the well-done script, served mostly by witty banter, Tim’s ironic T-shirts and quoting of movies, and Sasha’s and Paige’s inside jokes. Life Partners doesn’t try too hard to be funny because it doesn’t have to. The actors are talented at delivering funny and uncomfortable material in a way that is familiar and relatable to the audience.
Meester’s effortless performance as a funny free spirit is a refreshing respite from her Blair Waldorf days on The CW’s Gossip Girl, and Brody, all grown up from his years on The O.C., plays the perfect fiancé for Paige. Jacobs’ face is a newer one, but her presence and chemistry with the other characters makes her ceaselessly fun to watch. Most importantly, Jacobs and Meester play believable best friends. Their flaws — Paige’s stubbornness and Sasha’s childishness — cause tension in their friendship, but they love each other all the same.
Also notable about Life Partners is that even though Sasha and several supporting characters are lesbians, the movie wasn’t intended by the writers, one straight and one gay, to be a niche film. The writers wanted to universalize the movie so that they could represent the gay community “without focusing a narrative on ‘coming out’ or emphasizing the politics” of Sasha’s sexuality. This goal comes across well: Sasha’s sexuality is a central part of the storyline, but it doesn’t try to send a message. Rather, it adds another interesting layer to her character and her friendship with Paige.
Life Partners is an easy-to-watch, entertaining movie with a feel-good vibe. It addresses the common, daunting concerns of adulthood: finding a lifelong partner, a fulfilling career and overall satisfaction with life. It shows that relationships — friendships included — take work to maintain, but if they’re meant to be, they will survive the challenges they face. Best friends will always be there for each other.