We often talk about how hard it is to forge new friendships as we get older. Our routines lock us into specific spaces where meeting new people and trying new things is hard. With that being said, have you ever met someone who’s a little too eager to be friends, or maybe even uncomfortably overzealous? You hit it off, hang out, and as you get to know them, alarm bells go off. Andrew DeYoung’s new film Friendship takes this premise, turns it up to the highest degree, and utilizes cringe connoisseur Tim Robinson to take it as far as possible.
The film banks on several hilarious scenarios that play much like a full-length sketch from Robinson’s acclaimed Netflix show, I Think You Should Leave, but there are also some intelligent epiphanies sprinkled throughout Friendship. In between, DeYoung lets his main character run amok and burn everything down.
An Awkward Dad Pursues Friendship with a Cool Guy
On the surface, Craig Waterman (Robinson) fits the bill of the prototypical suburban dad circa 2024. He works for a company where he pitches ideas about how to make mobile apps more addictive. Craig raves about “the new Marvel” movie in his spare time and buys Ocean View Dining clothes because they fit him just right.
His wife, Tami (Kate Mara), runs a floral company and desperately needs a bigger car. His teenage son, Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer), is a good kid. What more could a middle-aged man ask for? Apparently a lot, which we learn after he’s wrongly delivered a package meant for a guy next door. When Craig takes it over to meet the new neighbors, he sees a potential new buddy in Austin Carmichael (Paul Rudd).
Before this point, Craig’s idea of danger was trying a “SEAL Team 6” local restaurant challenge with over 20,000 calories. But Austin, see, he’s different. He’s an effortlessly cool meteorologist who owns and knows the history of ancient artifacts, and he has knowledge of secret passageways underground. All this is thrilling to Craig, who looks at Austin with awe. Austin is everything Craig wants to be, down to playing in a rock band on the side.
Paul Rudd and a Strong Supporting Cast Complement Robinson
Unfortunately, Craig lacks a filter or any module inside of him to tone his excitement down. He says all the wrong things in the wrong moments and has a temper when things don’t go his way. Once the central theme is established, DeYoung gives Robinson an endless patch of land to run free with hilarious, awkward observations where he goes from one extreme to another. Rudd exhibits the comedic charisma of his Brian Fantana character from 2004’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. With that, he plays off Robinson’s uncouth zaniness exceptionally well. So do Mara and Dylan Grazer, whose performances complement Craig’s increasingly disturbed behavior.
When Austin invites Craig to hang out with his friends, we tense up in anticipation of what Craig might do. This get-together is also christened with a group singing of Ghost Town DJs’ “My Boo,” which becomes a great running gag later. Eventually, Austin is faced with a peculiarly awkward task — a platonic break-up. But what happens when your friend refuses to end the friendship? Craig becomes obsessive about trying to get back on Austin’s good side. It’s at that point where Friendship teeters between two worlds.
Friendship Gets Sketchy but Comes Together
Robinson carries the film’s precarious second half from one crazy story to the other as Craig’s life unravels, but there comes a point where the film plays like a recurring number of unbelievable situations looking for an ending. Sometimes, Friendship feels at war with itself, wanting to push its cringe comedy as far as possible rather than explore the relatable human intricacies of friendship and loneliness. It sometimes just feels like half-formed sketches placed back to back.
Craig certainly has an abrasiveness that might be off-putting to many people. Conversely, at least he’s true to himself and the person he wants to be. Isn’t that what counts in the end? DeYoung concludes the film by giving credence to both of these sides. Friendship extends a hand to someone like Craig and also questions if this type of person will ever find the tribe they are seeking. Everyone needs a sense of companionship and some type of friendship to be vulnerable with (yes, even guys), no matter what kind of front they try to put on — but what if some of us are a lost cause? Friendship finally shakes itself from the second half’s somewhat aloof and chaotic direction to ultimately address its themes with thoughtfulness and complexity.
Friendship made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival; you can find more information here. It’s being distributed by A24. Watch this space for updates on the film’s release.