By Emily R. Zarevich, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
How much can you put up with before your patience snaps? Emerging adulthood is hard enough, but imagine trying to come into personhood and individuality while sharing a living space with someone who crosses every boundary, rubs salt in every wound, sours your every relationship, and just plain brings out the worst in you?
Burlington-raised film director Chandler Levack’s Roommates, available on Netflix since April 17, 2026, shows its audience over its hour-and-47-minute runtime exactly what happens when all of the above plays out. Just like Levack’s previous Netflix hit, I Like Movies, the film explores dark, uncomfortable themes, and it stars a protagonist who has to go through a traumatic rite of passage in order to make it to the credits sufficiently developed as a character. Producer Adam Sandler, best known for his films about unhinged adults acting like unsupervised children, had a hand in it as well, so you know this movie is going to be a chaotic ride. (Mild spoilers ahead.)
Devon Weisz (played by Sadie Sandler, Adam Sandler’s daughter) has never been able to make friends. Maybe it’s her shy, awkward personality, or her desperation, but she’s gone through middle school and high school having never had the experience of exchanging lockets or bracelets with a bestie. Now, starting college as an architecture student with big hopes, she thinks she’s found the candidate to be her first ride-or-die in the form of Celeste Durand (played by Chloe East), a take-no-nonsense, party girl-free spirit who opens a whole new world of possibilities for the wild social life Devon has always wanted. They hit it off during Orientation Week, after Celeste extended the hand of friendship during a scavenger hunt. They bond, they connect, they exchange phone numbers. When someone takes their picture together at a rave, with their arms affectionately wrapped around each other, Devon couldn’t be happier.
But pictures lie. The honeymoon period ends. Over time, in the cramped dorm room the two college freshmen decide to share, Celeste proves to be everything but a dream come true. She turns out to be a user, a manipulator, a compulsive liar, and a greedy taker, helping herself to everything from Devon’s clothes to her anxiety medication, all while throwing out the occasional (insincere) apology. Devon reluctantly finds herself footing the bill for booze at the bars and spring break hotel rooms and tolerating Celeste’s obnoxious, self-centred, attention-stealing behaviour. Celeste even tricks Devon into doing her schoolwork for her. Devon is being taken advantage of. She knows it. But she is scared of losing her first real friend, so she lets it all go. But everyone has their limits.
The story is told through a classic moral-of-the-story-based frame narrative. It’s delivered as a lesson. Sarah Sherman gives a quirky performance as Dr. Robyn Schilling, a dean of student life acting as relationship counsellor between two feuding roommates, Luna (Storm Reid) and Auguste (Ivy Wolk). Their antagonism escalates to the point where bloodied menstrual pads are being tossed out the window in a fit of unleashed rage. They can’t speak to each other without screaming and swearing. Devon and Celeste’s failed cohabitation is presented to these two childish young adults as a cautionary tale for roommates who refuse to communicate maturely and compromise. For the most part, this narrative style works artistically for the neat pacing of the story, but it also weakly addresses the larger issue in its message: Celeste is an abuser and may have done indescribable damage to Devon’s psyche. If there is a sequel to Roommates, will Devon be in therapy to heal from this? After all, Celeste is (or was) her first friend.
Sandler and East give standout performances in their starring roles. Sandler’s acting abilities create in Devon a figure of youthful vulnerability and budding strength put through trials; a major part of Devon’s character arc is learning to love and respect herself enough to break free from Celeste’s influence and develop real, healthy relationships with other people instead. East, in turn, plays Celeste as an outstandingly believable bully. You’ve met this person; they exist in real life. They lure you in with their carefree charm and slowly erode your self-confidence as they project all of their insecurities onto you. They drain all your energy and never self-reflect. They never grow up out of high school. They’re the kind of person you happily leave behind.
The film also has a strong supporting cast consisting of characters who fall under Celeste’s evil spell, much to their eventual regret. Aidan Langford gives an endearing performance as Devon’s loving younger brother, Alex Weisz, a fun-loving and good-natured teenager who just wants to fit in with the cool crowd. Watching Celeste target him as well will make audiences feel as protective towards him as his big sister, Devon. Nick Kroll and Natasha Lyonne play Brian and Hannah Weisz, Devon’s open-minded parents whose efforts to facilitate peace between Devon and Celeste are well-meaning but misdirected. Billy Bryk appears as Michael, a senior architecture student who becomes the object of Devon’s romantic longing. And Adam Sandler himself makes an appearance as Danny Schilling, Robyn’s silly brother.
Roommates, as a film, is something of a psychological study, demonstrating to viewers what happens to an individual’s state of mind, their self-esteem, and their moral judgment when their boundaries are repeatedly disrespected and they’re gaslit by someone they thought they could trust. There are many points where Roommates stops being the zany comedy it’s intended to be and becomes something of a horror movie as Celeste’s cruel treatment of Devon gets increasingly worse, and Devon is forced to develop survival skills and her own untapped mean girl side in retaliation. Many viewers might feel their chest tighten as they watch. That’s not laughter in there, it’s grief. We have all had a “friend” like Celeste at some point, and the hurt is still there.
Roommates will resonate with anyone who has ever had a friend who, over time, became their absolute worst enemy. The film is currently streaming on Netflix. Chandler Levack’s other new film, Mile End Kicks, about a music critic who gets involved with a hip new band, is currently playing at Cineplex theatres in Oakville.
