Everyone wants a buddy. But who wants this Buddy?

In Buddy, we’re transported into the classic children’s television show of the same name. Following the adventures of the bright orange unicorn that teaches life lessons about sharing, this program proved that every problem could be wrapped up over the couse of a tight, 22-minute episode. However, perfection comes at a price. And, as Buddy begins to embrace his dark side, the rules of children’s safety are thrown out the window, causing the children to fight to survive in their once-happy world.

Infused with blood mayhem, Buddy is another insane trip into the darkness by director Casper Kelly. As the creator of Adult Swim’s Yule Log and the viral hit Too Many Cooks, Kelly has shown that he’s unafraid to lean into the shadows that lie beneath. In each of those examples, he’s taken concepts built upon (what appears to be) a safe premise and devolves them into unbridled chaos.

That mindset once again steps to the forefront in Buddy, a film that undercuts children’s educational programming with sadistic glee. Creating a television program that is unapologetically similar to Barney, Kelly takes another instance where children and parents are meant to feel as though they can trust the values presented and flips it on its head. As Buddy begins to snap, no one is safe, whether it’s the adults who inhabit this PBS-style world or the children who have come to play.

And Buddy isn’t only concerned with killing. It’s worth noting that we’re meant to be uncomfortable with Buddy’s antics on every level. Yes, he has a penchant for blood but, believe it or not, those moments can provide a certain sense of levity. Other times, just a glance from the orange unicorn can genuinely send chills down your spine. (Without giving spoilers, just wait for Buddy’s visit to the nurse. Somehow, that feels like one of the most terrifying moments in the film.)

Having said this, it’s important to note that there appears to be a method to Kelly’s madness. Whether or not Buddy is deliberately tied to the Yule or Cooks universe remains to be seen. However, thematically, they all seem to slice up the same mistrust in our sense of nostalgia. For Cooks, the world of Full House and other TGIF-style sitcoms is mocked with murderous intent. In Yule Log, Christmas hearths move from spaces of family and warmth to holiday bludgeoning.

And, with Buddy, that transformation feels complete.

Suddenly, our trust with children’s programming is put on trial. There’s a sense that these sorts of shows have agendas meant to satiate children, rather than inform them of the real world. For many of us, those moments are believed to be safe spaces. But Buddy believes that even these safe spaces aren’t necessarily realistic. As the kids become increasingly self-aware within the world, so too are they more akin to embracing the imperfections in the world around them. (“Who knew that bad language could be fun?,” one of them asks.)

But it’s when these walls come down that real safety can be shown.

Without saying too much, Kelly rips down the barriers between the televised worlds and reality with some surprising wisdom. While the children’s programing is meant to be a place where kids can learn and grow, it’s in the real world where safety really exists. Set in the confines of the home, there’s something about this family that feels honest. Their relationship isn’t perfect but it does create a sense that this is the best place for the children to be. The colours are more tempered and emotions feel genuine.

In short, these are the times that feel most real.

Though the film features a solid cast that includes Keegan Michael-Key, Michael Shannon and Topher Grace, the real gem here is Cristin Milioti. Stepping between the lines of both worlds, Milioti grounds the film with her earnestness. As the family matriarch, we sense her desire to create the very sorts of spaces that the world of Buddy lacks, filled with genuine love and care. And Kelly uses this dichotomy to help us understand what matters most.

Admittedly, Buddy will not be for everyone. Kelly embraces the ‘theatre of the disturbed’ with such enthusiasm that this sort of filmmaking feels entirely unique from traditional horror. There are few ‘jump scares’… but there are multiple moments that are meant to terrify the viewer in unexpected ways. (Again, that scene in the nurse’s office may not be graphic but it’s unlike anything else in theatres right now.) For some, that style of filmmaking will make them excited. For others? Likely not.

After all, this isn’t a film that’s meant to make us feel safe.

Buddy is available in theatres on Friday, August 28th, 2026.