Spirit of Friendship

A young boy tries to communicate with his late mother and learns valuable lessons about life.

The boy is Billy (Grassi), the protagonist in this heart-warming feature-length drama and now he is a grown man (London) with children. Sadly, a loved one has passed away and his children are struggling to come to terms with the loss. So to make them feel better, Billy tells them the story of how he was struggling to cope with the passing of his mother when he was a child.

The narrative consists of flashbacks that alternate with the adult Billy describing the events to his two offspring. The flashbacks show young Billy's journey to discover how to hold on to those he cares for even after they are gone and to find himself. Following his mother's death young Billy and his father (Nicholes Jr.) barely communicate and Billy wants to contact his mum. His two friends Mike (Luca Corticelli) and Jake (Dante Corticelli) believe that a way to do so involves a personal item (in this case a crossword book) of the deceased and sitting together in a circle. Eventually, three girls get involved, one of which is Emma (Miclette), who Billy fancies. However, things take a dramatic turn for Billy when he meets and builds a rapport with Leonard (Rendino), a friendly and optimistic man who lost his wife and shares his views with the boy regarding how to be at peace with loss.

Although the atmosphere is generally light-hearted, this film deals with heavy themes, loss being the main one, particularly how to deal with it. In this case, Leonard's character is the one who provides the answers to that, which are that people never lose connections with loved ones even after they are gone, which is achieved by remembering them and by engaging in activities they used to enjoy. In addition to this, the subject of bullying is present as Billy and his friends deal with two rather unpleasant youths and romance joins the scene as the boy spends time with Emma. The feature also points out the significance of support and friendship and not becoming disconnected from loved ones.

Billy (child Billy that is) is a bright boy who does not know how to deal with the loss of his beloved mother. Leonard provides him with a solution and by doing so, he becomes the heart of this film: a happy man who has learned how to handle loss and shares his positive ideas with others. By the way, it is indicated that Leonard might be a ghost as he only appears at the cemetery, disappears quickly and Billy seems to be the only one who can see him. Is he actually a spirit?

LeGare's directing deserves commendations, as it captures the beauty of the surrounding environments and special recognition goes to composer Craig Flaster for the music. The score includes beautiful piano melodies, is either light-hearted or melancholic and is vital in creating the right atmosphere. Further acknowledgements go to Sarah Young for the wonderful creativity during the opening credits montage.

This is a moving story and one that holds heavy messages. Ultimately, it appears to be supporting the belief that loved ones who have passed away are always present as people keep them close with their memories and by enjoying life. Although sometimes the acting is not very convincing, that does not prevent this feature from being a heart-warming viewing.