WE WERE FRIENDS FROM AN EARLY age. Our humor, likes and dislikes were close to being perfectly aligned; even our reasoning was the same. But towards the end of our high school years things started to change. I was planning to go to an out of state college; he was going right into business, working at a retail store that carried vintage clothing. Through my college years we saw each other sporadically and by the time I graduated and returned home, we saw each other even less. I would stop in at his store from time to time, not initially knowing he had become a partner in the business. I do not know if that was the reason he started acting differently, but I certainly was aware he was talking differently, with a slight accent. I found it weird and asked him once why he was talking like that; he acted confused as if what I was hearing was only in my imagination. This was not something I cared to pursue and let the whole thing drop. Maybe he needed to be something different in his business dealings. He did say he was getting involved with renting some of his clothes and jewelry out to movie studios; so, maybe he needed to play a part to transact business with them.      WHERE HIS CHANGES IN VOICE AND gestures did not bother me, there was someone in my social circle who took on the persona of whoever they were dating at the time. It was the oddest thing to me; if they were dating someone who liked classical music, suddenly, they liked classical music. If the person loved to go camping, now this friend was into camping. I knew they hated it, but here they were talking it up as if it were the next best thing since sliced bread. I do not want to appear as if I am being judgmental; it was the lying part that bothered me. If they wanted to get a whole different wardrobe to impress their significant other, it would make no difference to me. The fact is I have seen them go through these separate phases with each person they had dated. It was almost like one could never get to know the real person because they were constantly making these substantial changes. I felt like I was interacting with a chameleon. Another thing, I become uncomfortable when I cannot get a sense of a person’s inner being. When someone has walls up around them, does not share thoughts and opinions, I become uncomfortable. This will partially explain why it took a while for me to get into this comedic, drama thriller.      A NEW STUDENT ATTENDING OXFORD UNIVERSITY finds himself attracted to a fellow student who appears to have everything going for him, including a life that is beyond imagination. With Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin, The Killing of a Sacred Deer) as Oliver Quick, Jacob Elordi (The Kissing Booth franchise, Euphoria-TV) as Felix Catton, Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, The Informer) as Elspeth Catton, Richard E. Grant (Persuasion, Can you ever Forgive Me?) as Sir James Catton and Archie Madekwe (Gran Turismo, Heart of Stone) as Farleigh Start; this movie had a few good things going for it. The acting was excellent, with Barry and Rosamund being the two standouts. Barry’s ability to change demeanor just with a look worked to his advantage. I thought the script had its high and low spots; at times, I thought I was watching an update of a past film that was similar in nature. Also, the ending did not sit well with me. There were several scenes that I felt were purposedly made to shock the viewers instead of moving the story forward; ultimately, this movie left me in a mixed state.

2 ¾ stars