Written by Caballero Oscuro
Erik and Phillip are lifelong friends with similar aspirations to become published writers. As the film opens, they both nervously mail off their individual manuscripts in the hopes of landing success on their first attempt. Unfortunately, only one of them gets an offer, which leads to a shift in their dynamic as well as many other changes. What starts out as a simple act expands into an enlightening rumination on the nature of friendship, success, and romance.
Rather than elevating him to a new level, Phillip’s immediate literary triumph and public acclaim, coupled with an obsessive relationship with a girl named Kari, lead him into a downward spiral of depression and removal from society. Within six months of his book’s publication, he’s been institutionalized and is just beginning to take his first tenuous steps back toward a normal existence. He also tries to reconnect with Kari, going so far as taking her to Paris to completely re-enact their initial courtship, right down to restaging previous photographs. In spite of his best intentions, it’s clear that he’s still deeply disturbed and in danger of completely burning out at any moment.
Erik’s initial failure also results in some depression, although he’s seemingly better equipped to deal with it as he continues functioning well in public. He has doubts about his own talents as a writer, fearing that he’ll always live in the shadow of his esteemed friend. However, he continues plugging away and eventually lands his own publishing deal while also capturing the attention of a legendary and reclusive writer who is a role model for both boys. Erik is presented as the stable and insightful friend, the tortoise in the race to a meaningful lifetime career, and ultimately his story feels like the heart of the film in spite of his absence from the cover art.
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