Living with Yourself – Neighbors and Friends

By: Ellie Dolan-Yates

Ominous music plays as a large wooden box is left outside Miles (Paul Rudd) and Kate’s (Aisling Bea) house, before we are greeted with the title screen. Over breakfast Miles asks Kate if she’s looking forward to her design conference (which means a week away), but she is more focused on her phone. Noticing that Kate is uninterested in the conversation, Miles asks her if she’s still mad about the money. But she says no. She says she’s thinking of getting rid of her beloved credenza! As they are loading the credenza into the car Miles again apologizes about the money, but Kate says Clone Miles (Paul Rudd) took care of it. Well, she presumes it’s him as the bank rang her and said the missing $20,00 had been re-deposited. Miles says that Clone Miles is no hero since it was his money in the first place. Well, Kate’s as well…mainly Kate’s. Kate says it’s funny how different the two Miles’ are before driving away.

Five days later Miles is home alone when the phone rings. It’s the fertility center and they say they’re just going to cancel his appointment and there’s no need to reschedule. Miles turns up at the fertility center and tells Hugh (Zach Cherry), the receptionist, that he looks different than he imagined. Hugh tells Miles that he looks exactly as he’d imagined. Miles prepares himself to give a sample in a room decorated with baby pictures. Hugh’s voice gives instructions, but also replies to Miles as he searches for something to watch. Miles asks if he will be listening in whilst he gives his sample. Hugh doesn’t reply. Miles places his sample on the front desk and Hugh tells him to leave it in the collection room, but Miles says he didn’t want to. Miles says he can’t wait for the results and Hugh leaves his fist bump hanging.

Miles answers the phone to Wendy from the Gold Pencil awards committee who wants to confirm his address. His company has submitted his “Neighbors and Friends” campaign and he’s reminded that it’s been five years since one of his ideas was last submitted. Miles is less than impressed about “that sappy piece of sh*t” being nominated for an award. He hangs up and rings Kaylyn (Zoe Chao) to ask where the Town Hall is. She tells him that he needs to go as the whole county is voting on the Hillston pitch.

Miles is sneaking around the Town Hall and his only disguise a baseball cap. Pool (Karen Pittman) and Dan (Desmin Borges) are waiting impatiently for him. Farmer Ray (Gene Jones) notices him and tells him to shake his hand. Miles tells Ray he forgot his name. Ray tells him not to “big time” him or he’ll tell everyone he caught him naked in his yard. He asks Miles why he’s there and Miles tells him he’s just a concerned citizen. Hillston present their video in a bid to win the telecom contract. Miles is called to the floor to answer questions, but he’s not present. Not where he needs to be anyway. The room is put to a vote. Harrison (Larry Petersen) asks why they need to be sweet talked with the milk and cookies of an offer if Hillston are really their friends. Miles applauds along with the rest of the room. Another says they don’t need all this “lover to lover crap” with their proposal. Ray mentions that Hillston aren’t their neighbors and friends. Miles is loving the reception from the room. Nobody in the room has anything good to say when asked. Ray tells Miles to buy him a drink, but Miles declines. Pool is telling Dan to find Miles and get him down to the Town Hall or he’ll be lucky to find a job. Dan says some people can’t handle the pressure. Miles sneaks into the back and rings Clone Miles. He leaves a message asking where he is since his campaign is about to get voted down and the campaign is the whole reason he “hired” him. He tells him he needs to get down there and fix it. I have my suspicions about where Clone Miles is though… Miles asks himself what he would do if he were him. In the brochure he has been hiding behind he notices an article about hens.

Miles finds Ray in a pub and asks him to introduce him to his friends. Ray does so, telling everyone that Miles is the worst picker he’s ever seen. Miles says he shouldn’t have an excuse seeing as his grandfather was a poultry farmer and he used to spend his summers on his farm. He makes everyone laugh with a story about selling two hundred prize layers that turned out to be cocks. Miles tells the group that his grandfather died from Stage 4 Carcinoma and Miles says that when he went to scatter his grandfather’s ashes back at his farm one thing had changed – there was a cellphone tower from an international conglomerate, Broadspan, the one vying against Hillston. Miles says he’s there to make sure that what happened to his grandpa doesn’t happen to anybody else. Miles apologizes for killing the mood and leaves. Has he saved the Hillston campaign?

Miles is using the toilet in the pub when a member of Broadspan (Christopher Crutchfield Walker) tells him that they have the resources to keep their marketing in-house. After urinating on the floor next to Miles (nice) he tells him that libel is a criminal offense in their state and that Mr. Hillston won’t be happy if he finds out. He sarcastically wishes Miles good luck on his vote before leaving. He didn’t even wash his hands!

Hillston wins the bid and the Town Hall erupts in applause. Harrison tells Miles that one if for his grandpa. Miles is happy, but Ray isn’t. Miles asks him what’s the matter when Ray questions Miles’ description of his grandpa’s “balls turning black. “Ray found Miles’ brochure in the pub and saw the article about sexing chicks. Ray says he had Miles down as a pervert and a fool, but not a liar. The Broadpsan man from the toilets gives Miles the stink eye.

Miles is in bed when the telephone tings. It’s Kaylyn asking where he’s been for the last week (uh-oh) and saying that she’s not comfortable with ringing his landline. Miles is shocked to find out it’s been a week since Clone Miles hasn’t been at work and says he thought “he” just missed the Town Hall. Kaylyn asks him if he’s drunk again. Kaylyn tells him not to stress about their hookup as he’s too old for her anyway. Miles is confused and says he’ll call her back. He immediately calls Clone Miles and tells his answering machine that he’s coming over. As he goes to leave, Miles is confronted at his front door with a wooden box as tall as himself. He pulls the note from the side of it. It reads, “Congratulations to the Elliot brothers on your campaign. An extra ration for you. Hillston.” Don’t tell me it’s a massive box of fluffy Hungarian pig meat! Miles takes the box to the garage and opens it. It’s a dead pig and blood.

Miles departs the house once more, leaving an angry voicemail for Clone Miles. As he gets in the car he notices Clone Miles leaning out of his car window down the road! Clone Miles ducks back into his car when he sees that Miles has noticed him. As Miles sticks his head out of his own car, a gloved hand covers his head with a black sack.