Shadows on the Wall | Friendship

Friendship

dir-scr Andrew DeYoung
prd Raphael Margules, JD Lifshitz, Nick Weidenfeld, Johnny Holland
with Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer, Rick Worthy, Whitmer Thomas, Daniel London, Eric Rahill, Jacob Ming-Trent, Billy Bryk, Meredith Garretson, Josh Segarra
release US 9.May.25,
UK 18.Jul.25
24/US A24 1h41

TORONTO FILM FEST

Is it streaming?

Fans of the TV series I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson will recognise this style of squirm-inducing comedy, delivered through often astonishingly dry and brittle jokes. Indeed, writer-director Andrew DeYoung's narrative unfolds in scenes that resemble extended comedy sketches, with sympathetic but unlikeable characters who feel cartoonish in their deadpan absurdity. So the unexpected gags, wildly swerving plot and committed performances keep us laughing nervously.

With his florist wife Tami (Mara) in remission for cancer and 16-year-old son Steven (Grazer) becoming more independent, nerdy tech exec Craig (Robinson) feels that his life is good. Then new neighbour Austin (Rudd) piques his curiosity. He becomes even more intrigued when he recognises Austin as a TV weatherman, then discovers that he's also in a rock band. As they embark on little adventures, Craig becomes increasingly gripped by Austin's gregarious charm. But Austin isn't so sure about Craig. Eventually, Craig begins to feel like he's being sidelined, and he begins to get desperate.

Craig is obliviously inappropriate in almost every situation, leading to a range of reactions from the people around him. Some think he's interesting or hilarious, others become darkly worried. This includes Austin, who tries to put some distance between them. The narrative is structured as a series of scenes that boil over into uncomfortable awkwardness. And the film's amusing designs extend to their identical suburban homes and a steady stream of astute costumes.

Playing up the characters' goofier edges, performances are comically heightened. Robinson goes full-in on Craig's neediness as he painfully tries to be one of the cool guys. This creates excruciating moments between Craig and the superbly naturalistic Glazer's Steven. Although it makes his marriage to the Mara's sparky Tami feel more than a little implausible. And how he holds down his job while annoying everyone is also a question. Meanwhile, Rudd has a lot of fun with the outrageously engaging Austin.

Craig is such an idiot that it's difficult to care when things go wrong time and time again. As he becomes more abrasive, the film cleverly gets under the skin of a guy who feels like the odd man out in every situation. And credit goes to Robinson and DeYoung for so unflinchingly pushing things over the edge. There's a whiff of surrealism in the film's final sequence, which grounds the story in unexpected ways while pushing things even further into nonsense. But there are startling insights lurking everywhere.

themes, language, violence 15.Jul.25

R E A D E R R E V I E W S

Still waiting for your comments ... don't be shy.