A comic book artist takes his revenge twenty-five years after

walking out on the best friend who betrayed him.

SYNOPSIS:

Blending live action with comic book animation, OLD BUDDIES is a heartfelt buddy comedy about two guys just trying to win their race against time on their own terms.

Comps for this project are: Grumpy Old Men and Christopher Robin.

When they were young and immortal, MARTY KERSHFIELD and JOHN (JOHNNY G.) GUILFOYLE built Excelsior Comics into a media empire. In addition to sharing a friendship, the pair sees their super hero creations as living, breathing entities. Throughout their story, these fantasy characters move into and through the narrative, providing active exposition in place of mere explanations.

Suddenly, twenty-five years ago, Marty, famously known as KRAZY KERRY, walked out on the partnership without explanation. Now, at 60, after years of solitude, the wayward comic book artist has created a whole new super hero phenomenon. Cloaking himself in the secret identity of KERSH, Marty has brought Wolf Hound to life.

Ready to reveal his achievement to the world, Marty agrees to attend Fanzapalooza, hoping he can rub his ex-partner’s nose in his success. Unexpectedly, the morning before the pop culture convention, Marty finds Johnny G., 60, in his kitchen cooking breakfast. Johnny G. claims to bear bad tidings: a mutual colleague has passed away. The pair immediately falls into their old pattern of trading uncomfortable barbs until Marty’s daughter OLIVIA intervenes.

Olivia implores Marty to bury the hatchet. Realizing he can keep tabs on his intended dupe until the trap is sprung, Marty agrees to spend the day with Johnny G. He brings his grandson and co-conspirator STANLEY, 21 along as their driver. When Stanley asks how the pair met, Johnny G. treats him to the partners’ origin story in the form of an animated comic sequence.

Some things never change. Johnny G. boosts a racing form, then loses all of Marty’s money at the track. Nearly causing an accident on the ride home, Johnny G. gets to spend a night in jail. Mysterious hooded figures he believes to be comic book characters bail him out the next morning. They’re not fantasies. Marty and Stanley have stopped in costume on their way to Fanzapalooza to make sure he gets to the show.

At the convention, Johnny G.‘s capable assistant, RILEY RHOADES, 23, makes sure he’s provided with proper attire. Stanley is helplessly smitten with Riley the moment he sees her. She’s amused but distanced by the huge two year span between their ages. Stanley shares Marty’s intentions with Riley, who worries about Johnny G.’s reaction. But it’s too late to stop Marty’s revenge.

The Fanzapalooza crowd goes wild when they find out Johnny G. and Krazy Kerry are, for the moment, reunited. However, Johnny G.’s fantasy of partnering again is soon shattered when Marty takes the stage as Kersh. For his outstanding career work, Marty is awarded a lifetime achievement trophy. During the presentation, Riley realizes Stanley is the mystery voice behind the popular podcasts which propelled Wolf Hound to superstar status. She’s impressed, but just as she feared, Johnny G. throws a profane tantrum and storms out of the conference.

Initially, Marty is pleased with the results of his plan. After all, his ex-partner had it coming. Still, to ease his conscience, he calls Riley to check up on things. She informs him that Johnny G. has disappeared without a trace and she fears the worst. In desperation, Riley enlists Marty and Stanley in the search for her missing boss.

Their investigation proceeds in comic book fashion. Things look truly hopeless until Marty thinks of contacting Johnny’s ex-wife VICTORIA, 55. The last ditch effort pays off. In comic book style, Victoria reveals the truth: Johnny suffered a breakdown after hitting on Marty’s wife, which was the real reason Marty quit at Excelsior.

Ironically, Johnny G. is holed up at a mental health facility just down the road from Marty’s house. Even though he hadn’t made contact over the dividing decades, Johnny G. always needed to be close to his old partner. Ironically, Johnny is holed up at a recovery center near Marty’s house.

With their comic book super heroes needling them as they argue, Marty finally confronts his ex-partner. After Johnny admits to his dread of getting old. Marty realizes only forgiveness will do. He invites Johnny to a party where the actors who portrayed Excelsior heroes in the movies bear witness as he presents his former partner with a Fanzapalooza trophy of his own. Then he offers his old friend a place in his home. As Stanley and Riley realize they’re now a couple and the future of Excelsior, Marty and Johnny move in together looking forward to new projects and the same old arguments.