Casper Kelly's "Buddy": A Nightmarish Jump to the Big Screen

Filmmaker Casper Kelly, known for the iconic 2014 horror-comedy short "Too Many Cooks," has ventured into feature filmmaking with his directorial debut, "Buddy." The film attempts to expand a similar conceit over 95 minutes but ultimately falters, coming apart at the seams with little new to offer. Despite a premise involving a children's show and a menacing mascot, the narrative struggles to sustain momentum beyond a stronger opener. The movie generates some laughs but rarely escapes its meandering path, feeling pulled in too many directions. The story centers on Freddy, a young girl trapped in a children's television program overseen by the volatile Buddy. When Buddy snaps, Freddy and her friends embark on an escape attempt. Concurrently, Grace navigates a mundane life until she senses something is wrong, hinting at a connection between the two worlds.

However, the film's momentum falters significantly upon shifting to the real world. While the opening is initially promising, the transition to Grace's mundane life causes the entire movie to grind to a halt. The connection between the disparate plotlines takes an extended time to materialize, and the jokes about Grace's life feel increasingly forced. Cristin Milioti's performance as Grace is commendable, but the script offers her little substance. The production design effectively mimics children's television elements, but the shift from daringly dark humor to juvenile jokes makes the film tiresome. The narrative repeatedly disappoints with a lack of escalation, returning to the same joke. "Buddy" feels like a film perpetually waiting to begin, but it never truly does. Even a late attempt at emotional injection through a twist feels unearned, leaving the audience with a sense of going in circles.