A Mutual Friend
2009, 2 minutes
The secret life of an ordinary man
Plot of the Novel: The Secret Life Of The Ordinary Man. Explores a dark and fragile world of adult-hood in cosmopolitan London. Set in the year 2006. John (Christian Riad) and Francis (Simon Nuckley) have been friends since college, seven years ago. Everything they do has become repetitive and uneventful, unwilling to ever take any risks to improve themselves. To make things worse they mock people who live different lifestyles to they’re own. One day John and Francis’s lives are about to change forever, with the arrival of James Paluachi (masterfully portrayed by Claudio Beghelli). An out-going extravert, with down-ward opinions on John’s influence over his best friend. So James decides to set Francis up on a blind-date with Morrigan Dunne (Romilly Turner), a young pianist. After a long period of having very little purpose, Francis’ new found romance with Morrigan, inspires him to pick up his guitar again. Much to John’s distress, who blames James for altering Francis’s perception on lifestyles. Without his best friend to comfort John, during the worst year of his chronic depression. He begins to depend more and more on his secret night-time hobby, taking intimate photos of Mandy Thompson (Layla Amini), a former college student and John’s first love. When his life goes spiralling downwards, can John take the advice of his best friend Francis. To salvage what little humanity he has left. Is Beth The Barmaid (beautifully portrayed by Eleanor Appleton) his only salvation? A Mutual Friend is an in-depth portrayal of everyday life. A stark and riveting reminder of the sinister side of human nature, a vicious cycle of self-harm, vengeance and blind ignorance.