Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson shine in 'Friendship' — but I have one problem with this new comedy
Do they become best buddies? Well, you'll have to go watch "Friendship" in theaters to find out. It opens in select U.S. cities today, with a wide release coming on May 23.
Of course ... you could just wait to see it on Max, one of the best streaming services.
Don't get me wrong, I love going to the movies, and think you should go and support your local cinema whenever you can. But after watching "Friendship" at the Atlanta Film Festival, I think it's a movie a lot of people can wait to watch.
"Friendship" stars Tim Robinson as Craig Waterman. He lives in a quiet suburban neighborhood with his wife Tami (Kate Mara), who recently beat cancer, and their teenage son Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer)
Craig leads a quiet suburban life. That is, until one day a misdelivered package forces him to go over to the new neighbor's house.
There, he meets the charismatic Austin (Paul Rudd), and it's love at first sight for Craig. They begin a budding friendship, until a series of missteps by Craig cause Austin to wash his hands of their friendship.
Watching the trailer" for "Friendship," you can tell that this movie wants to be part comedy and part psychological thriller.
Having seen the finished product, I can confirm the movie does manage to do this. It is undeniably hilarious, and things definitely take an eerie turn once Craig and Austin's friendship devolves.
But the movie struggles to commit one way or the other, and it would be such a stronger movie if it did. Even in the final scenes, it can't decide which route it wants to go, ultimately landing largely on one genre but not before being a different one just the scene before.
In the trailer, IndieWire is quoted as calling this movie "'I Love You, Man' for sickos." That's pretty spot on, I just wish it had leaned harder into being "I Love You, Man" (an iconic Paul Rudd comedy) or leaned harder into being for sickos.
IndieWire's quote wasn't the only one that caught my eye when revisiting the trailer.
In the comments, one of the top comments was from user @johnnyvenus5435. It said, "Until I see this movie myself, with my very own eyes, I will believe that this is just one really long Tim Robinson sketch, and not a moment sooner."
Well, @johnnyvenus5435, I've got news for you. "Friendship" feels exactly like one really long Tim Robinson sketch.
Now, if you like Robinson, or his hit Netflix sketch comedy show "I Think You Should Leave," you might not view this as a bad thing. I might have just sold you on the movie.
But although I do love Robinson's comedic style, I was hoping for more than just a longer version of an "I Think You Should Leave."
There's literally a point in the movie where you expect him to say he's wearing Calico Cut Pants. That's how much it feels like one of Robinson's sketches.
So yes, you'll have fun watching "Friendship" — unless you don't like Tim Robinson, in which case this movie, which rests largely on him as an actor, isn't for you. But I'd wait for it to come to Max later in the year, which as an A24 film, it eventually will.
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
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