A man discovers the meaning of true love and finds it in a form he never imagined in this witty and emotional dramedy from filmmaker Guy Pigden.

Ten years after graduating high school, Alex Lucas thinks he has made his mark in life in some way. He lived his dream to become a filmmaker but the film itself, a horror film, did so poorly that it has forced him to live with his parents. His best friend Henry is happily married and has an infant son. At their high school reunion, Alex discovers two friends, Jenny and Stephanie. Jenny runs a coffee house while Stephanie has become a model who sees Alex as a potential “friend with benefit”.

While Alex and Stephanie start a wild fling, when he spends time with Jenny, it starts out just as such. However, Alex starts to realize some startling things once he learns his father inexplicably passes away. Alex continues to juggle between Jenny and Stephanie until two secrets threaten to end his relationships with both forever. And yet he realizes he is in love with one of them. Who will Alex ultimately choose, and will his choice reciprocate their feelings towards him?

This New Zealand made dramedy is the story of friendships and relationships as seen through the eyes of our protagonist Alex, played by the film’s writer and director, Guy Pigden. Pigden not only is a pretty good filmmaker but he’s a pretty good actor in the role of Alex. We see Alex as someone who may have a “failure to launch”, but more of a “failure to re-launch” as he is a struggling filmmaker who finds himself living with his parents again. In addition, he is dealing with complications of his friendship with best friend Henry, played by producer Harley Neville as he is married and has a baby.

While Neville does a great job as Henry, who attempts to help Alex through his troubles since they are best friends, the focus is more on the “triangle” between Alex and his former high school friends Jenny and Stephanie. With Jenny, played by Liesha Ward Knox, Alex seems to have more of a closeness to her. However, with Astra McLaren’s Stephanie is a model who is more of an infatuation for Alex and sees him more of a friend with benefit who wants to have Alex and eat her cake too. Stephanie seems to have more of an arrogant factor while Jenny seems to be more of a friend who despite having her thing with Alex seems more in tune and close to him.

The third act is where everything begins to go awry where a few secrets are revealed that threaten Alex’s way of life. And it is here where he soon realizes what he really wants out of life. It is great to see this change with Pigden realizing what he wants in his life and will do what it takes to make himself a better person not just for himself, but the one he ultimately chooses to be with, which is also without its complications.

Older is a very well-made tale about a man who must learn to “grow up” in some ways through his friendships and relationships. With this being only his second feature film, Guy Pigden is definitely a filmmaker to look out for and even an actor who does a great job in the lead role.

WFG RATING: A-

Indie Rights Movies presents a Pigville Productions film. Director: Guy Pigden. Producers: Guy Pigden, Harley Neville, Adam St. John, and Vedat Kiyici. Writer: Guy Pigden. Cinematography: Adam St. John. Editing: Guy Pigden.

Cast: Guy Pigden, Liesha Ward Knox, Astra McLaren, Harley Neville, Stephanie Jukes, Simon Ward, Coen Falke, Michelle Leuthart, Jay Simon, Michael Drew.