Friendship

On the one hand, it's got moments of genuine hilarity and ingenuity. Rare these days in movie theaters - it seems only stand-up has any guts and originality. I laughed hard in places and so did the first-weekend LA crowd. On the other hand, the story is without much momentum and lacks a sense of inevitability. Feels random and without clear purpose/meaning. As though the whole thing were a series of sketches strung together with no driving thematic goal. Another way of putting it is that it does not get more interesting as it goes. But the acting and casting is superb. Very well directed. Bravo!

I, admittedly, cringe very easily. I can't watch reality shows because the awkward conflict makes me uncomfortable. I like Tim Robinson sometimes when his outrageousness is so over the top that it's just separate from reality. In this film, he is great, as is Paul Rudd, and frankly everyone. The cringe is low key enough in most scenes to make you truly squirm. I found myself squirming far more than laughing in this movie. It was weird, wild, and unique. I liked it and it stuck with me. I am sure that the discomfort I felt watching it was the point. If you like that cringey feeling, you will really like this movie.

This indie comedy from A24 can sometimes feel a bit uneven, but its deadpan and blunt humor that also provides more thoughtful and subtextual commentary on male friendships under the surface makes it engaging and worth watching. The film focuses on Craig (Tim Robinson,) a marketing executive and father who befriends his neighbor Austin (Paul Rudd,) who is a weatherman.

Like many "slice of life" independent films, "Friendship" doesn't have a clear and thorough plot as its narrative backbone. Yet the writing is sharp and clever enough, and the two leads interesting enough that things still mostly work pretty well. The humor is able to balance more straightforward comedy with more dark and offbeat humor pretty well, particularly by showing that Craig's desire for connection is well-intentioned, but also risky. At 97 minutes, the film is pretty well-paced and never feels too long or too short. It does a good job at keeping the viewer engaged throughout. While the character development of Craig and Austin is not exceptional or truly unique, it is thorough and well-written enough to keep the viewer interested and justify the film progressing in the ways that it does. The film's humor isn't always consistently funny, but when it works (particularly in the first 45 minutes,) it really works. What holds the film back from being truly great is the lack of a directly emotional payoff and narrative stakes. In particular, there could have been a more compelling conclusion. That said, this is still a worthwhile dark comedy. Recommended. 7.5/10.

Story ~ ⭐ 5.5/10

The writer forgot to close some story lines, and when you do that, you leave the audience wanting. The movie is a negative character arc for both Robinson and Rudd, and that's depressing, especially without meaning or something else to grab onto. Yes, it was funny, at times, but it was drowned out by a sea of not enough audience payoff. Clever ending, not really.

Acting ~ ⭐ 7.0/10

Robinson is doing Robinson and Rudd is doing Rudd. Expanding on Rudd, it seems he has some acting tic he can't shake that's turned him into a cliché; it's something in his face, like an invisible string keeps him from doing something different. At times, Robinson's slapstick, especially the scene with the Vietnam hat-wearing overactor, degenerated into a yelling match that should have been left with the editor. My 7 for acting is generous, thanks to Kate Mara, who delivered the most talent and nuance by far.

Cinematography ~ ⭐ 7.5/10

Nothing special here, but not bad either. Sorry, I can't offer more.

Recommendation: This is uncomfortable, awkward humor. If you like that, rent it, but pass on the theater run.

My husband and I can't stop talking about this film and what different scenes meant. We laughed throughout it with a theater of people, but were surprised about its philosophical message and provoking themes in what it means to be an American man in 2025. I know the middle-aged men portrayed in this film, many of them used to not married to my friends, and a few still can't seem to figure out how to connect to the people in their lives. I hate how this platform forces you to use a minimum number of words, but I'm going to do it because this film is a solid 8+ and I hate that it's currently at 7.7 when it's so much better than that if you're a thinking person.