“Built to Fail,” a review of “Banana Split” by Nathan H. Box

Recommendation: 4/5 Stars, SHOWTIME

Director: Benjamin Kasulke, Writer: Hannah Marks, Joey Power, Starring: Tyler Barnes, Jacob Batalon, Catherine Commisso

Plot: High school relationships rarely last, but what happens when you find yourself becoming best friends with your ex-boyfriend’s new girl?

Review: For my eleventh film of the 2018 Los Angeles Film Festival, I set my sights on a film about a high school love you assume will never end. By doing so, I was treated to a story about friendship, relationships, and growing as a person.

High school relationships are doomed to fail. It is written in the very fabric of their DNA. To do otherwise is to defy one of the very laws of nature. The love between April and Nick succumbs to destiny and ends in heartbreak. Yet, it is Nick’s new love interest, Clara, that serves as the true beginning to this film. See, despite her best intentions, April and Clara are about to become the best of friends which, of course, spells complication.

Being friends with your boyfriend’s new girlfriend is destined to fail unless some ground rules are established. For April and Clara, this means no speaking of Nick and not being seen together by Nick. These rules give birth to a truly unique comedy the likes of which proves better than almost any other comedic release to come out this year. But, rules are made to broken, because the rules of cinema require them. April cannot stand herself and violates one of the cardinal rules by showing up to a party Nick and Clara are attending.

Thanks to alcohol, there are some wonderfully awkward moments that will make your skin crawl and leave you wondering if the powerful friendship between April and Clara can last, or will it cave under its own weight. The mystery, humor, and awkwardness are why I recommend you see this movie when it finally gets a wide release.

Be good to each other,

-Nathan

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