Friendship
- Ben Pivoz
- May 23
- 3 min read
Platonic male companionship is a popular topic for comedies. From Superbad to I Love You, Man, a lot of stories have gotten mileage out of guys being vulnerable and goofy with each other. The newest entry in this sub-genre is Friendship, an occasionally hilarious dark comedy about loneliness and male bonding. This is not the happy tale of two men enriching each other’s lives. Instead, it is the cringe-inducing story of two men who seem to think the world revolves around them; though only one of them is a real problem for those who know him. While it does mostly work, the narrative throughline just doesn’t quite connect. It starts the protagonist on a journey it doesn’t fully let him finish. It doesn’t possess the conviction to take this to the even darker corners it seems destined for.
The movie is definitely funny, with some quotable lines and sharp glimpses into the mind of a dangerously insecure person. The performances are good, as is the direction, yet the screenplay holds back too much, keeping things a little too surface level when everything else suggests more depth. It is enjoyable, especially if you are into this style of comedy, even if it feels like there is something great about to bust out that never truly does.
Craig has a job where he is disrespected by his coworkers, a marriage that has lost its love and a teenage son who treats him with polite indifference. He may not realize how unhappy he is. Then, his new neighbor, charming weatherman Austin, wants to be friends and Craig feels the type of connection he hasn’t felt in a long time. However, after a hangout gone incredibly uncomfortable, Austin pulls away. Craig does not take that well.
Friendship (95 minutes, without the end credits) stars Tim Robinson as Craig. If you are familiar with his work, you’ll know what to expect: awkward, abrasive, satire that make the viewer a participant by forcing them to decide how much of this they can take. I am not really a fan, though I do think he can be funny in short bursts. Here, that not-for-everyone approach is effective. Initially, we may be with Craig; feeling for him, wanting him to find direction. When things go sideways, we’re stuck in his downward spiral.
Craig appears to have a case of main character syndrome. Everything he experiences is about him, even his wife’s recovery from cancer. If it seems like he isn’t the focus, his insecurities come flying out. This is why the attention from Austin means so much to him. Austin, played with forced casual cool by Paul Rudd, is a well-liked local celebrity, with interesting hobbies such as being in a band. Craig, who obviously wishes to be like his new friend, is beyond honored to be invited into this guys’ life. That is why, when Austin gets weirded out by Craig’s behavior and pushes him away, Craig begins to lose it.
What the audience can see, but Craig is oblivious to, is what a phony narcissist Austin is. While he isn’t a bad guy, his shallow vanity probably annoys the people around him, without being enough to send them running. In contrast, Craig, who is all awkward comments and barely suppressed anger, isn’t charming and practically screams “red flag.” Him being the central character is interesting and moves this far away from being any kind of a thriller. This is a sad man who doesn’t want to lose the only thing in recent memory that made him feel valued.
The supporting cast does little besides shine a light on Craig’s self-absorption. Even Austin is pretty thin. Rudd certainly makes the most of it, with some very funny reaction shots. That leaves Robinson. Despite his act wearing thin with me after a bit, he provides a few genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. There is a sequence late in the movie, involving the use of drugs, that was probably funny on paper and becomes absolutely hysterical the way Robinson plays it. Friendship is pretty good; it just never hits that next level to be more than weird or amusingly off-putting.
3¼ out of 5
Cast:
Tim Robinson as Craig
Paul Rudd as Austin
Kate Mara as Tami
Jack Dylan Grazer as Steven
Written and Directed by Andrew DeYoung
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