Try To Remember… That Larry Just Wants A Friend

The other day while I was finishing up my night audit shift, I had a little bit of free time to visit Bloody Disgusting and check out what I had missed over the last week. That is how, thanks to an article by John Squires, that I came across this delightful 2017 horror themed short entitled Larry. Clocking in at just a little over five minutes, Larry manages to entertain and even provide a few chills no matter what time of the day you happen to be watching it. Wonderfully Written and Directed by Jacob Chase – the short concerns an overnight parking lot attendant who being bored comes across a tablet in the lost and found. On the tablet is a most curious digital children’s book called ‘The Misunderstood Monster’, that talks about Larry… who when all is said and done just wants a friend.

Larry is short and sweet and to the point – with only three characters – the attendant Joe (Joe Calarco), Girlfriend (Rachel Grate) and Boyfriend (Aaron Cota). Well, there is also Larry who was played by both Cornelius Uliano and Timothy Thompson – the former by the way also happened to be the writer of 2015’s The Peanuts Movie. Thanks to that article on Bloody Disgusting – it turns out that I wasn’t the only one to be impressed by the 2017 short film. As it was revealed by John Squires, Jacob Chase was able to turn his short into a full-length feature that from the official site says is being released by Focus Features on the 24th of July. It has received a name change from the short though – now called Come Play – and starring Gillian Jacobs (Community), Rachel Wilson (In the Tall Grass), John Gallagher Jr. (10 Cloverfield Lane), and Azhy Robertson (The Plot Against America). The synopsis for Come Play as listed on the official site states:

“Newcomer Azhy Robertson stars as Oliver, a lonely young boy who feels different from everyone else. Desperate for a friend, he seeks solace and refuge in his ever-present cell phone and tablet. When a mysterious creature uses Oliver’s devices against him to break into our world, Oliver’s parents (Gillian Jacobs and John Gallagher Jr.) must fight to save their son from the monster beyond the screen.”

I am not sure how close Come Play will stick to the short film Larry but I look forward to getting a chance to see a trailer. Being a Monster Kid I will admit I have a tendency to sympathize with the creature or monster… I personally believe what it says in that children’s book… “Larry just wants a friend”.