Friendship TIFF review: Genuinely funny, though at times unsettling
3/5 stars
Genuinely funny, though at times unsettlingly observant of obsessive tendencies, Friendship is written and directed by Andrew DeYoung. It follows Craig Waterman (Tim Robinson), a corporate goon at a demonic company that helps apps become addicting, who meets Austin (Paul Rudd), who just moved into his neighborhood.
Austin takes Craig under his wing as a buddy for a little while and Craig falls madly in love with him. After Craig makes a fool of himself at a group hang, Austin ghosts him, and that’s when the stalking and erratic behavior from Craig really starts to blossom.
Craig’s distance from social groups, FOMO, and inability to create genuine connections are relatable in an abstract sense, although I think we can all agree the exaggerated quirks of his personality are a little out there. Tim Robinson takes his usual route as he leans into the awkward, the uncomfortable, and the messy moments in life. His obsessive persona as Craig is funny, creepy, and yet captivatingly charismatic at the most unexpected moments. I did laugh quite a bit, yet there were other moments that were supposed to be jokes that didn’t land for me.
Friendship was a little long for my taste; I think the narrative structure could have used a few cuts to make the film feel a little tighter. However, I also found that many of the plot points were tied in with comedic callbacks that paid off successfully. Yet, still, scenes feel more like sketches than contributors to a larger story.
The aesthetic of the film is a mixed bag. We have fashion and furniture pulling from the late ’70s/’80s, but the cellphones are incredibly modern. It plays into a recession comedy look, feel, and style. Paired with this style of comedy, I feel like wacky, raunchy, and satirical comedies are back. At times it feels true to the era of Superbad, Knocked Up, and Meet the Parents.
Paul Rudd is his charming self, but not infallible. Friendship makes sure to show us that Austin is far from perfect, his life is far from perfect, but Craig can’t help but be enthralled by his presence and flare. Paul Rudd is a great choice for this role. However, it also seems like an easy choice; he has played very similar characters before. In other words, I’m not disappointed in his performance, but I’m also not wowed.
Kate Mara is stunning as Craig’s wife Tami. Yet, her character confuses me to no end. She is a florist who works out of her house, who married Craig, but her ex-boyfriend Devon (Josh Segarra) is charming and looks a lot more like Craig’s son, Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer), than Craig. Perhaps I’m just tired of this trope, where a guy with so few redeeming qualities is inexplicably paired with a woman who seems like she deserves better. Though, perhaps if I were being generous, Friendship could be poking fun at this phenomenon, as they have a bit part to mock and criticize Craig for his cooky behavior and abandonment of his wife.
In all, Friendship is a great late night comedy to watch with friends on a Friday night with a couple of pizzas and some beer.
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