When was the last time that you had a good laugh with every minute in a comedy? Not just few laughs here and there but laughter with tears rolling down your face and amounting to uncontrollable laughter? There was one such film that was a part of one of the segments called the Midnight Madness at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, one of the funniest comedies that has been made for some time, writer-director Andrew DeYoung’s Friendship. Also starring Tim Robinson in his first lead role in a movie as well as Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, and Jack Dylan Grazer, Friendship has everything that it takes in order to be regarded as a classic comedy.
What Is Friendship About?
As Kate Mara sits starry-eyed at Tim Robinson who is smirking at her, her look is one of exasperation Image courtesy of Andy Rydzewski.
Joining Robinson in the lead role of this zany comedy is Craig Waterman. His character is a dull, ordinary hygienist, husband, and father living within the suburban confines. Craig continues to shop at identical boutiques, is employed by a marketing agency known to encourage addiction to their products, and boasts to his friends about having put up a speed bump within his area. Craig really does not have much in the way of companionship instead preferring to stay indoors with his spouse Tami (Mara) and son Steven (Grazer). Everything changes when Craig goes next door to his new neighbor Brian (Rudd), bringing a misplaced parcel, and ends up making a good friend.
Brian has a mustache, is a weather man, likes to play in a punk rock band and finds exploring the towns sewer system for fun. As cool as Brian is to Craig, he is one more level cooler than the man. However, trying to gain Brian’s appreciation and adopting his persona can potentially not just be an issue with Craig’s undisputed friend, but in other sectors of his life as well.
In his debut feature film, Friendship, DeYoung builds upon his experience directing episodes from The Other Two, Our Flag Means Death, and Pen15, and directing as well as co-writing the comedy special Would It Kill You to Laugh? with Kate Berlant and John Early. During the post-screening Q&A, DeYoung spoke on how the film was around 90 percent on the page because a lead role was already scripted for Robinson, which indicates how incredible DeYoung is in terms of writing – in this instance, with the nose of a particular comedian in mind. DeYoung also stated that he intended to make this film as if it were Paul Thomas Anderson\’s The Master; given the relationship between Craig and Brian, this is quite an appropriate choice, and, in a sense, it actually seems that this is a comedy version of that PTA movie.
Friendship manages to capture the same weird specific vibe that I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson has such as an overall theme without becoming just a collection of skits. Even regulars Conner O’Malley and Whitmer Thomas invited to the ITYSL show have each some great moments too. DeYoung uses all these great ideas and jokes in relation to Craig’s slow spiral into trying to belong or be somebody or simply try to impress someone. All the scenes move towards the same goal of advancing this storyline and Craig’s mask of desperation, trying to be liked in the end, is simply hilarious.
However, it is with the delivery from Robinson in every moment that really makes Friendship the most consistently funny. Robinson does not even need any particular scene or line to deliver, his inflection or how he handles the scene is enough. While Waiting doesn’t seem to have really packed the film with jokes, it is not quite the case when it comes to Robinson who is often put in serious moments of the film, and is simply trusted to perform. Robinson made his first major role in a film with a long title, Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers, where he was voiced by the rather unfortunate Ugly Sonic. The typical and primary interesting elements of his performance, however, is that Robinson skillfully transforms each and every scene by surprised his audience with unfamiliar and peculiar angles. For instance, the portrayal of Brian and all his friends isn’t quite right and makes the viewer laugh simply through its weirdness. Craig’s attempt to make a silly movie is in fact the funniest thing about this film, or Craig’s investigation with drugs and the movie’s overall premise, is one of the funniest movies you’ve ever witnessed. Robinson is the type of guy who is made for success in any comedic role typified Warsaw’s ability to make stale comic scenes better than anybody imagined them to be.
Same goes for the rest of the cast, who played most of these situations straight but still manage to create their own jokes. Rudd seems to do quite well as the perfect companion to Robinson’s Craig, only that one might not expect him to be as smooth as Craig perceives him to be. Rudd makes Brian seem a person who tries to be liked by everyone and thus reacts as he does when his character Craig causes his annoyance towards the end of the film. Probably the hardest role to perform is that of the unmoved woman, next to Robinson, but even so, as her spouse Tami, Mara portrays a rather low profile, just a woman seeking to lead an ordinary life in the middle of chaos surrounding Craig. It\’s a thankless role, but Mara also makes it work. Also great is Grazer as Craig and Tami’s son, making brief appearances and adding further new detail to the character we’re still barely getting to know.
In fact, DeYoung’s script writes DeYoung’s story as if though there are all these other stories going on, which makes you compartmentalise these minor character’s stories in your head to make sense of this mad suburban life.
‘Friendship’ Has the Potential to Be a Cult Classic
This is the reason why such films as Friendship should be viewed in a packed cinema rather than on one’s own on a home screen. With the exception of Midnight Madness TIFF, Robinson clearly had fans in the venue who were salivating at his every turn as this audience clapped when O’Malley appeared. If they had not had such a frustratingly quiet marketing campaign for its theatrical release, this would have been the type of bizarre humor that develops a cult following. I found myself thinking of the experience of going to the cinema and the delighted squeals of audiences who were treated to their first view of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy or Bridesmaids when handed with Friendship and accompanied by a rambunctious room. Maybe Friendship is too out there to be that kind of success, but it is undoubtedly a film that will find its share of content fans who will quote it for several years.
And honestly, if it goes straight to streaming, it will be a real pity to take that away from its viewers.
There is so much potential in Robinson’s approach to each scene and in DeYoung’s insane script that knows exactly how to play to its actors, Friendship feels poised to be the next amazing cult comedy.
For More Movies visit Like Friendship (2024) on 123Movies
