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Movie of the Week 

MOVIE OF THE WEEK February 28, 2025: ADULT BEST FRIENDS

Jennifer Merin , , , , ,
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Two lifelong besties face the complicated realities of impending adulthood in the charming comedy Adult Best Friends. Made by and starring real-life BFFs Delaney Buffett and Katie Corwin, it focuses on what happens when one of the women is ready to grow up and enter the next phase of life, while the other is decidedly not, hanging on to young adulthood by the skin of her teeth and fiercely determined to keep things they way they’ve “always” been.

Delaney (Buffett, daughter of the late singer Jimmy Buffett) and Katie (Corwin) have been inseparable since they met in a bathroom during a party at age 12; now it’s about 20 years later, and they still hang out all the time, sharing the kind of ease and shorthand that decades of friendship make possible. But Katie also has a boyfriend, John (Mason Gooding), whom she lives with — and whom Delaney only tolerates to stay in Katie’s good graces. Delaney thinks John is boring and that he’s making Katie boring, too. But Delaney’s “boring” is Katie’s “comfortable and happy,” so when John pops the question, she’s thrilled to say yes. The only trick is figuring out how to break the news to her best friend.

Katie decides that she’ll tell Delaney about her engagement during a “just like old times” girls’ weekend getaway to the beach, but when they get there, Delaney wants to shift straight into party mode — tricky, given that the quirky host of their vacation rental (a hilariously offbeat Cory Walls) has endless rules for them to follow, including “no guests” and “no alcohol.” Then they cross paths with a group of guys at the beach for Charlie’s (Connor Hines) bachelor party, and it seems like Delaney’s hopes for the weekend are coming true. But how long can Katie get by without coming clean — and what will happen when she does?

The emotional heart of Adult Best Friends is Katie and Delaney’s sister-like relationship, which is all the more authentic because Buffett (who co-wrote and directed the film) and Corwin (who co-wrote and executive produced) are that close in real life, too. When the two main characters are finally completely honest with themselves and with each other, they demonstrate true growth and development — which, in the end, is what growing up is really all about. — Betsy Bozdech

Team #MOTW’s comments:

Pam Grady: The title is ironic. There is nothing remotely grownup about Katie (Katie Corwin) and Delaney (Delaney Buffett), best friends since middle school and now in their early 30s. Delaney’s life is still that of a hard-partying college kid as she enjoys endless nights of liquor, cocaine, and random hookups. Katie has left all that behind, settling down with chiropractor John (Mason Gooding), who finally pops the question. But Katie’s terror over how Delaney will react to her engagement exposes her own brand of childishness. Katie goes into a full-blown meltdown of lying and avoidance that extends to the girls’ trip she takes Delaney with the purpose of breaking the news. Just how much of this might be autobiographical is open to conjecture with Corwin and Buffett penning the script and using their own names for their characters with Buffett directing. Zachary Quinto adds a sharp comic turn among an ensemble that is adept even as they struggle to define underdeveloped characters. There are laughs within the pleasantly predictable story that plays like an extended sitcom pilot for a show that would fit snugly in the CBS lineup.

Loren King Like last year’s Babes, this female buddy comedy begins with girlhood bonding over sleepovers then whisks us to the present when the gals are in their 30s and on very different paths. Co-writer and producer Katie Corwin plays Katie, about to be engaged to nice-guy John (Mason Gooding) while her BFF Delaney (co-writer and director Delaney Buffett) remains stuck in a state that alternates between ennui and teenage rebelliousness. Corwin and Buffett, who’s the daughter of musician Jimmy Buffett, have no qualms about making themselves immature and even unlikable at times to get a laugh. Corwin has fun portraying Katie’s straightlaced side while Delaney relishes the role of the irresponsible slacker who resists her friend’s move to marriage and settling down. Read full review.

Leslie Combemale In her feature directorial debut, Delaney Buffett seems in such complete control, it’s surprising this is her first feature. The choices of how the scenes are shot, the editing, and all other aspects of filmmaking are very much in alignment with story. That’s a testament to her as collaborator. It’s also a delight to see her commitment to have so many female below-the-line heads of department, including composer Alexandra Kalinowski, cinematographer Jessica Pantoja, and production designer Mackenzie McMahon. Good for her, and ultimately, good for us as the audience. Rea full review.

Jennifer Merin Adult best Friends is a charming comedy about two grown up women who’ve been best friends since childhood but find their relationship challenged because their adult selves have different needs, feelings, desires and habits than their younger selves did — and they must come to terms with that or lose each other. the Buffett/Corwin creative companionship brings compelling authenticity and engagingly poignant elements to the scenario and the characters, as the two besties face the challenges that threaten to push them apart, Adult best Friends‘ tightly written script is a mix of silly and contemplative moments. using both to dig into real issues that real friendships face. The performances by Buffet and Corwin and their smartly cast ensemble are captivating. The denouement of Adult best Friends is upbeat and satisfying, Friendship is important and this film treasures it. Read full review.

Sandie Angulo Chen: Adult Best Friends is a funny and poignant dramedy starring and co-written by Katie Corwin and her real-life close friend Delaney Buffett, who also directs. While the plot is slim, the themes are universal. Thirtysomething millennials Katie and Delaney have been best friends since they were 12, but when Katie gets engaged to sweet and patient John (Mason Gooding), she hides it from Delaney, who fears any change to the friends’ inseparable dynamic. Like Babes or Bridesmaids, this is a funny movie about the vulnerability and intimacy between adult friends. Featuring memorable supporting performances from Owen Thiele, Casey Wilson, Cazzie David, Benjamin Norris, and Zachary Quinto, the film is a heartfelt exploration of how lifelong friendships evolve as we enter different stages of adulthood.

Liz Whittemore Filmmaker Delaney Buffett teams up with real-life best friend Katie Corwin for a charming rom-com based on the underappreciated relationship between female friends. Buffett and Corwin have the kind of chemistry you cannot fake. Aside from the larger-than-life side characters, Adult Best Friends‘ most brilliant moments are the minute details, ranging from athleticism to inside social media jokes, AirBnB house rules to party bathroom etiquette. Adult Best Friends is a great companion watch with Susanna Fogel’s Life Partners. Each beautifully celebrates the soul bond between women.

Cate Marquis In the meta comedy Adult Best Friends, Katie and Delaney have been best friends from at least middle school even they are very different. Where Katie’s warm and expressive but she’s rather unsure of herself. Delaney is much less expressive, more confident, and plain-spoken but also easy to offend. But they are grown now, which means they are adult best friends, but really their relationship still has at least one foot in childhood. And Delaney likes it that way, resisting change, and stubbornly maintaining a college-age state of mind. However, Katie’s life is moving on and she has a great boyfriend, who understanding about Katie’s attachment to her bestie, even though Delaney is not too friendly towards him. So when Katie’s wonderful boyfriend proposes, Katie thrilled but immediately knows there is one problem: how is she going to tell Delaney. Delaney doesn’t like change and this is a big one. So Katie cooks up a plan for a girl’s beach trip, to gently break the news to Delaney. Adult Best Friends is funny but what adds to the humor is that the actors playing best friends are actually best friends Delaney Buffett and Katie Corwin, who both co-wrote the script, with Buffett directing and Corwin producing. Using their real names helps make it even more meta.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYD8XYJFjQ4FILM DETAILS:

Title: Adult Best Friends

Directors: Delaney Buffett

Release Date: February 28, 2025

Running Time: 90 minutes

Language: English

Screenwriters: Delaney Buffett and Katie Corwin

Lead Performers: Delaney Buffett and Katie Corwin

Distribution Company: Gravitas Ventures

AWFJ Movie of the Week Panel Members: Sandie Angulo Chen, Betsy Bozdech, Leslie Combemale, Pam Grady, Loren King, Cate Marquis, Jennifer Merin, Nell Minow, Sherin Nicole, Liz Whittemore

Previous #MOTW Selections

Other Movies Opening This Week

Edited by Jennifer Merin

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Jennifer Merin

Jennifer Merin is the Film Critic for Womens eNews and contributes the CINEMA CITIZEN blog for and is managing editor for AWFJ.org, the online magazine of the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, of which she is President. She has served as a regular critic and film-related interviewer for The New York Press and About.com. She has written about entertainment for USA Today, The L.A. Times, US Magazine, Ms. Magazine, Endless Vacation Magazine, NY Daily News, New York Post, SoHo News and other publications. After receiving her MFA from Tisch School of the Arts (Grad Acting), Jennifer performed at the O'Neill Theater Center's Playwrights Conference, Long Wharf Theater, American Place Theatre and LaMamma, where she worked with renown Japanese director, Shuji Terayama. She subsequently joined Terayama's theater company in Tokyo, where she also acted in films. Her journalism career began when she was asked to write about Terayama for The Drama Review. She became a regular contributor to the Christian Science Monitor after writing an article about Marketta Kimbrell's Theater For The Forgotten, with which she was performing at the time. She was an O'Neill Theater Center National Critics' Institute Fellow, and then became the institute's Coordinator. While teaching at the Universities of Wisconsin and Rhode Island, she wrote "A Directory of Festivals of Theater, Dance and Folklore Around the World," published by the International Theater Institute. Denmark's Odin Teatret's director, Eugenio Barba, wrote his manifesto in the form of a letter to "Dear Jennifer Merin," which has been published around the world, in languages as diverse as Farsi and Romanian. Jennifer's culturally-oriented travel column began in the LA Times in 1984, then moved to The Associated Press, LA Times Syndicate, Tribune Media, Creators Syndicate and Arcamax Publishing. She's been news writer/editor for ABC Radio Networks, on-air reporter for NBC, CBS Radio and for Westwood One's America In the Morning. She is a member of the Critics Choice Association in the Film, Documentary and TV branches and a voting member of the Black Reel Awards. For her AWFJ archive, type "Jennifer Merin" in the Search Box (upper right corner of screen).