5 Ways Life Partners Got Friendship Right

Last week, I finally got to watch Life Partners, a new movie written by Susanna Fogel and Joni Lefkowitz (Fogel also directed) and starring Leighton Meester, Gillian Jacobs, and Adam Brody. There were so many things I loved about this movie (just a heads’ up, you are about to read some spoilers, so…do with that information what you will). The cast was spot on, the writing was a perfect blend of funny, sweet, and sincere, and Meester gave one of the most realistic, relatable performances of a lesbian character that I’ve ever seen. What I loved most was the way the deep, intimate friendship between Meester’s Sasha and Jacobs’ Paige was handled throughout the entire movie. Not only did the actresses’ have insane chemistry that left you wishing you could be a part of their friendship, but their story was told in a way that also left you remembering similar moments and feeling thankful for your own friendships. Here are a few reasons why I think this movie nailed friendship.

1. Sasha and Paige’s relationship was totally platonic.

Entirely Platonic. So often in movies and television, friendships between a gay character and straight character include some sort of attraction or unrequited love, which I hate. I’m a lesbian and I have so many wonderful, fun, precious friendships with other women that are strictly platonic and I loved seeing that represented on-screen.

2. TV and Wine Time Is the Ultimate Friendship Experience…

…while talking and drinking cheap, pink wine. Is there anything more perfect? Every healthy friendship is, at its core, filled with cheap wine and reality TV.

3. The girl-boyfriend-best friend dynamic was extremely realistic.

When Paige got involved with Tim, suddenly she was less available. She was spending her TV time and sharing her secrets with someone else. As someone who has experienced the slow distancing of a best friend in a serious relationship, I can wholeheartedly say that Sasha’s reaction to all of these changes was spot on. The jealousy, the hurt feelings, the super awkward hang out sessions–it all sucks, but it happens. My favorite part of this movie was that one of Sasha and Paige’s rituals was marathoning America’s Next Top Model. When your best friend finds herself in a serious relationship, shit can hit the fan.

4. Fights, no matter how big, are temporary and move on.

I loved that the movie demonstrated this on a few different levels. Sasha and Paige’s blowout was major, but we also see it with Sasha and her two other close friends, Jen and “Two N’s” Jenn. Jen betrays Sasha’s trust, and she’s pissed, but all is eventually forgiven. Sasha betrays “Two N’s” Jenn’s trust, and she’s pissed, but again, all is eventually forgiven. We all screw up sometimes, especially in our closest relationships, but fights, thankfully, aren’t strong enough to destroy how much you need each other. All close friends fight, but usually (hopefully), you get over yourselves, apologize,

5. You can bond with anyone over mozzarella sticks.

Two of my favorite scenes in this movie involve mozzarella sticksSee Sasha eating an order of these magical, cheesy, grease traps alone in her car in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant. That is something all of us have done at one point or another and is something I have happily done on many, many occasions. While eating, she sees an acquaintance, (“Two N’s” Jenn’s ex-girlfriend, to be exact) who is also eating mozzarella sticks in her car alone. The two get to talking and bond majorly over their mutual grossness, which just goes to show we should all be eating more mozzarella sticks.