We Are Your Friends (2015)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: We Are Your Friends boasts magnetic stars and glimmers of insight, but they're lost in a clichéd coming-of-age story as programmed as the soundtrack's beats.
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Cast
as Cole Carter
as Sophie
as James
as Mason
as Ollie
as Squirrel
as Paige
as Tanya Romero
as Carl
as Nicky
as Francine
as Sara
as Mel
as Joey
as Rebecca
as Mindy
as Clarissa
as Kim
as Heather
as King Bach
as Valley Hater
as Preppy Guy #1
as Preppy Guy #2
as Rich Girl
as DJ Devin Andrews
as Bartender
as Dancer #1
as Dancer #2
as Art Party DJs
as Rabbi
Critic Reviews for We Are Your Friends
All Critics (126) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (75) | DVD (1)
A plethora of beats drop but little else of note - musical or otherwise - happens in the Zac Efron DJ fest We Are Your Friends.
It's the perfect one-last-blast movie for the end of summer.
It's as if a Michael Lewis story or a 1980s Paul Schrader movie were intercepted by studio marketing execs who said, "You should turn Saturday Night Fever into a commercial for SunnyD."
Director Joseph captures the vital energy and druggie haze of EDM parties, providing a peek into a world not often seen on the big screen.
Its poignance comes from the film's desire to treat the aspirations and emotions of its tender-hearted, kinda dim hero seriously while maintaining enough distance to feel wiser and more mature than he is.
It's all big, dumb, broad strokes, with plot points visible from miles away. But it works where it matters: The music is fantastic, and the film invests you in its central relationship.
Audience Reviews for We Are Your Friends
One of Zac Efron's better movies of late. His portrayal as a deejay trying to be the next big thing and not another brick in the wall is convincing. The music could have done with more licenses tracks but ultimately this coming of age drama is enjoyable.
Super Reviewer
An okay party awesomely DJ-ed, Zac Efron's latest drops some block-rocking beats so far as a soundtrack but misses the mark so far as drama by sampling too many other underdog tales. You've seen similar stories countless times before, just not set in the world of Los Angeles MCs. It spotlights as small (and, sadly, forgettable) a microcosm as arm wrestling in Over the Top or skateboarding in Gleaming the Cube, but such meticulous loving care gets afforded the specific craftsmanship that the flick manages to break even. One vervy sequence finds our protagonist losing his earphones and rooting out the natural sounds of the San Fernando Valley before recording and appropriating them into a mega-mix. It seems like small stuff but this process and his philosophy behind beats-per-second elevate the goings-on above Below Average status. Given that his low class friends keep this possible breakout star from making his mark a la Good Will Hunting and a back-stabbing romance threaten his future a la Wedding Crashers, this proves to be no small feat of elevation. In this R-rated drama, aspiring DJ Cole Carter (Efron) finds himself caught between a forbidden romance with the girlfriend (Emily Ratajkowski) of his mentor (Bentley) and the expectations of his friends in his attempts to find the path in life that leads to fame and fortune. Zac Efron, long due breakout success of his own following High School Musical and 17 Again, is in fine form but clearly isn't the star. Once the soundtrack takes over, it's nearly impossible not to step into the ebb and flow of the beat. The soundtrack, boasting cuts from EDM artists including Justice, Tchami, Will Sparks, Dom Dolla, Hayden James, The Magician, Years & Years, AlunaGeorge, Klingande, Seinabo Sey, Gryffin, Deorro, Carnage, Bro Safari and The Americanos, makes the only noise truly worth hearing in this already forgotten distraction. Bottom line: Dub Misstep
Super Reviewer
While not the critical disaster that everyone is saying it is, "We Are Your Friends" is not all that good either. Zac Efron leads this film as an aspiring DJ who's passion trumps the needs of his crowd. After befriending a DJ legend, he must impress him while also falling for his girlfriend behind his back. Cliche after cliche, you see the entire film coming, but if you are able to look past how dumb it can be, there is some mild fun to be had here. I enjoyed my viewing of this film, but the only time I would ever give it any kind of recommendation or second viewing, would be during a party when people are only half paying attention. There are a few life lessons in some great character moments and there are some cool Dj sequences, but that is about it. Playing out like an elongated music video, "We Are Your Friends" suffered greatly. A disaster of a film? No, but unless you are few drinks in, I cannot recommend it either.
Super Reviewer
We Are Your Friends Quotes
| Squirrel: | Don't you feel like there's a lot more we could doing....like, more quality stuff. I mean Cole, are we ever gonna be better than this? |
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