Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

What if you idolized someone in high school and ran into them 20+ years later? Assuming you recognized them, how would you act? What if someone you had absolutely no memory of remembered you? What if they remembered you very, very well? Think of the possibilities.

With a Friend Like Harry explores those possibilities with a mixture of humor, pathos, suspense, and horror. Michel, a 34-year-old man, is driving his family up to the French countryside for their annual summer vacation at an old house he bought as a fixer-upper. We first see him and his wife and young children driving along in their clunky car, with no air conditioning. The kids, cranky from the heat, are whining, screaming, crying, and kicking. Michel and his wife, Claire, look to be at their wit's end as they make a stop at a gas station to freshen up.

While in the bathroom, Michele meets Harry. Harry recognizes Michele from high school. However, Michele has no clue who Harry is. Harry, who is on his way to Switzerland with his girlfriend, manages to attach himself to Michel and invite himself to the country house. During the next few sequences we discover that Harry remembers an awful lot about Michel, perhaps an alarming amount. He recites Michele’s poem, which appeared in the school literary journal, he tells of his relationship with Michele’s ex-girlfriend, marveling at how the girlfriend complemented Michele’s sexual prowess. Harry’s current girlfriend, Plum, confirms that Harry frequently recites Michele’s poetry and talks of Michele. None of this alarms Michele and Claire, as they start to develop a friendship with Harry and Plum.

It is apparent that Harry is quite wealthy. He explains that he “sponged off” his father until his father died and left his fortune to Harry. Now he is a man of leisure, doing whatever he wants whenever he wants. He clearly wants to know and involve himself with Michel.

In contrast, Michele appears to have little money. He bought his shabby country home with the help of his dentist father and insists on fixing it up himself. He and Claire resent his parent’s interference, this is particularly understandable as we discover that his parents have taken it upon themselves to renovate the bathroom (in horrid taste) as a surprise.

When Michel’s car breaks down, Harry insists on buying him a minivan. Both Michele and Claire clearly oppose this, but Harry won’t take no for an answer. More characters come into the picture, including Michele’s very annoying, inappropriate parents, and his equally annoying and possibly disturbed brother, and some untimely deaths make the point moot.

***** SPOILER ALERT*****

Harry is very dangerous, crazy, and scary. He starts killing people. I am about to give details of this, so if you would rather be surprised, stop reading here and skip to the end of the spoiler alert.

Harry ends up killing Michele’s parents in an attempt to make Michele’s life better. He thinks that Michele needs to be set free of his parents so he will start writing again. He tells the distraught Michele his parents’ death could be the best thing to happen to him, just as the death of Harry’s parents was the best thing for Harry.

Harry is determined to “help” Michele. By removing harmful people, like his brother, Harry will make sure Michele will be happy and writing again. He sees things in black and white. Michele makes a derisive comment about Plum, so Harry kills Plum. There is no guilt; there is no hesitation. He expects the same cold-blooded acceptance from Michele.

*****END SPOILER ALERT*****

We watch Michele become more and more irritable and strange. He tries to start writing again, but is blocked. He is secretive about this, locked up in the dreadfully decorated bathroom, and becomes enraged when questioned. He gazes into the mirror and the audience is left to wonder what he sees in his eyes, which look cold and scary.

All of this is done very matter-of-factly; there are no explosions and a minimum of blood. You know there are going to be murders, but you don’t know exactly what to expect and that is the suspense.

Harry’s scariness is in his normalcy. No one would ever know that he was a cold-blooded killer because he doesn’t think he is doing wrong, he is simply helping his idol from high school. There is nothing menacing about him, he is straightforward, gentle, believable.

Claire and Michele are similarly subtle and low key. You seldom find such subtlety in American films. You don’t know what is going to happen at any given moment. There are no dramatic musical flourishes, and there are no cheap thrills, like people or animals suddenly popping into view. The audience never jumps or screams, but they are on the edge of their seats wondering what is happening to Michele and what will happen next.

Hitchcock often used this kind of subtlety to build suspense. While this does not compare to the quality and craftsmanship of Hitchcock, it does adhere to the Hitch’s tradition of slowly building suspense, intellectuality, and minimal use of blood and special effects.

This is not a film for the person who needs constant stimulation, ala MTV. But for the person who wants to leave the theater puzzling over whether the protagonist did the right thing in the end, or upon the motivation behind crazy behavior, this film fits the bill.


Recommended: Yes

Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older