Movie review - Find Your Friends

Find Your Friends ** (out of 5) In her first feature outing as either writer or director, Izabel Pakzad admirably tries a different spin on the usual young folks menaced in an isolated setting thrillers. But the finished product is a mixed bag of pluses and minuses, leaving a lot of unmet potential on the table.

The film opens with five hot coeds partying hard on a boat with a bunch of other attractive characters. The main focus is on Amber (Helena Howard), who seems more troubled and conflicted about their planned revelries than the other four. She comes on to a guy, abruptly changes her mind, then bashes him on the noggin after he pushed harder for a boink than she wanted. The group is kicked off the boat.

Oh, well. That blip doesn’t deter them from their main mission for the weekend - driving to a rented house in the desert for a huge annual rave concert. The besties find themselves frequently bouncing among horniness, hostility and friendship, as they have various conflicts over what to do with which guys, and how to take care of each other. Dialog runs the gamut from funny and risque to whatever these characters are capable of mustering for insights, emotional depth and bonding. Clashes escalate, as they must, with several horndog studs and sadistic local louts, leading to some gruesome violence and dire consequences. Booze and diverse drugs – including hallucinogens – significantly affect the flow of events.

On the plus side, the five leading women are very attractive, with each given moments to shine as performers. They provide a fine array of eye candy, though the film’s Unrated status is not due to exposure of any naughty bits. Most of the sexual activity is discussed, rather than displayed. When the acts of carnage start, the worst occurs mostly out of frame, though some blood there be.

Pakzad’s script bucks convention by gradually eroding the usual empathy such flicks establish for their protagonists in peril. Howard’s Amber remains enigmatic, as we think we might understand the basis for her turmoil, but may never really get fully in her corner.

The larger distraction comes from Pakzad’s directing, which lags behind her development as a writer. The camera is too close to faces too much of the time to fully appreciate what’s occurring. Others may differ, but I find the jerky camera movements and quick cuts that have become trendy more off-putting than artistic. She also pulls her punches on the skin and violence components, diluting the adrenaline factor this setup could have provided.

There’s enough appeal in the five leads to make me think they have bigger roles in store for them. Particularly noteworthy is the contribution of Chloe Cherry, who is transitioning from adult films into mainstream movies. She shows that she can do just fine while clad and vertical.

And Pakzad’s contributions (including a brief role for herself) show considerable potential, despite the nits I’m picking here. This debut product is worth watching, though with modulated expectations from the rookie behind the camera.

(Find Your Friends streams on Shudder as of 6/12/26.)