6 days ago
Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd's Friendship is a laugh-out-loud comedy masterclass
Forming new friendships as a middle-aged man is notoriously difficult, even when the men in question have a lot in common. In Friendship, we have two very different budding buddies. Craig (Tim Robinson) is a loudmouth, socially inept, and infuriatingly unaware of the fact that he's not witty, smart, or remotely pleasant to be around. Somehow, he is both dull and wildly unpredictable in his behaviour. Craig's wife, Tami (Kate Mara), is the picture of elegance. She is in post-cancer recovery and clearly considering rekindling a relationship with an old flame. Craig is completely oblivious to this.
Tami persuades a reluctant Craig to hang out with their new neighbour, Austin (Paul Rudd). On the surface, Austin is the polar opposite of Craig - suave, charming, philosophical, and cool. Austin is a weatherman frontman of a band, making him a well-liked local celebrity. The two at first seem to bond, with Austin appearing indifferent to Craig's awkward and asinine remarks. Craig quickly becomes infatuated with Austin and his laid-back energy. Adoration sets in. However, after an uncomfortable night with Austin's friend group, Craig is devastated to be essentially "dumped" by Austin. Needless to say, Craig takes this in the worst possible way and refuses to let his cool new friend cut ties so easily.
Fans of Tim Robinson's I Think You Should Leave will be happy to see familiar elements to Craig's character that overlap with characters in the Netflix sketch show - stubborn, socially clueless people who always say and do the wrong thing. That said, this is far from I Think You Should Leave: The Movie. Friendship exists in a much more grounded American indie-comedy world. Writer and director Andrew DeYoung has created the perfect vehicle for the comic skills Robinson has honed, one where he gets to explore the reality of his go-to I Think You Should Leave character archetype in a more naturalistic setting. This gives us the opportunity to see those skills stretch and evolve in ways a seven-minute sketch could never allow for.
Robinson's unhinged energy works well with the effortless charm of Paul Rudd, whose character slowly moves from the most relaxed man in town to an anxious victim of his friend-turned-stalker. It's a formula that works. You could argue that the female characters do feel a little underwritten, Austin's wife is barely seen, and we never really learn why Tami is with Craig in the first place. Perhaps that's intentional; the film is largely told from Craig's point of view, and he is clearly oblivious to his wife's feelings or motivations and barely acknowledges Austin's marriage exists.
With countless comic moments that land hard, Friendship isn't just the best comedy in cinemas this year, it's one of the funniest films of the decade. Some of the biggest comedic moments blindside the audience. A scene involving a "psychedelic trip" sets up what you think is going to be a tired comedy trope, only to deliver the film's best punchline.
It's unpredictable without verging on the ridiculous. A hilarious character study of delusion, inadequacy, and neediness, painfully real and hugely entertaining. Hopefully, it marks the return of comedy to cinema screens.
