New feature film explores the drama of gay friendship
BY VICTOR MELAMED
Filmmaker Jono Mitchell shares the evolution of a relationship between two seemingly opposite queer friends in Bad Together, his new film releasing to TVOD via Dekkoo Films.
Over four years, Robbie (played by Andrés Erickson) and Cameron (played by 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,” Mitchell explains. “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 story begins with Robbie, newly dumped, and in such deep need for companionship that he’s willing to embrace the company of anyone who extends a hand. Enter Cameron, the life of the party who appears to revel in the admiration he receives from others. However, behind the happy go lucky exterior is a man who constantly craves validation and is struggling with finding a clear sense of purpose in his life.
“Fundamentally you can connect with a person on the most basic level, but ultimately that connection still needs to be built on mutual expectation”
Robbie and Cameron are two young men who are desperate to connect with one another but have different ways of achieving the bond. They each offer their own version of love and affection and as they chase the ideal of what each deems to be true friendship, they create a relationship that may not be healthy for either one of them.
Mitchell explains he was inspired to write the story based on a similar friendship he experienced a few years ago. “I have an incredible friend who changed my life. He is so special to me, but circumstances within our current stages of life drove us apart,” he recalls. “When everything changed, I had to accept the version of friendship that I idealized didn’t exist anymore. What we became is just as special, but I think I’ll always grieve for what we had.”
Filmmaker Jono Mitchell is best known for his work on the Adult Swim digital shows, Dear Jono and Stupid Morning BS. His most recent works include Courtney Gets Possessed (2023) and Miles from Nowhere (2022). He hails from Atlanta, Georgia and in 2023, he was named a “2023 Creative to Watch” by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
For more information, visit www.dekkoo.com.
