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Friendship is a fun black comedy about male bonding with a heavy dose of cringeworthy sequences which are hard to look away from as things keep getting worse for everyone involved. It's all built on the relatable desire to belong in a friend group and takes it to absurd extremes thanks to a main character who never knows the right thing to say in any situation. There's a nice unpredictability in seeing just how bad it gets too.

Tim Robinson is so perfectly cast it's impossible to imagine anyone else being able to handle this uncomfortable material as effortlessly as he does. He's incredibly comfortable in every scene that's heavy on the awkwardness and he never relents by constantly sinking further with occasionally really funny but consistently disastrous results. Paul Rudd is great by simultaneously leaning into and going against his natural likeability.

Andrew DeYoung's direction brings plenty of visual style through the lighting, suitably bleak look and a few surreal moments with the biggest highlight being the most mundane drug trip in cinema, sponsored by Subway. Andy Rydzewski's cinematography is creating meticulous framing from the first scene and Keegan DeWitt's score also stands out because its unusual sounds aren't the norm but certainly fits what this is going for.

When it comes to the topic of the male psyche and what inherently makes us male, the usual trope falls into the typical realm of heroism, stoicism and aggression. You can't get that woman you like unless you are willing to take on an army and exhibit confidence in the moment. Trouble is, the so-called man that needs that confidence is played by men like Henry Cavil or Ryan Gosling, not some every day run of the mill man.

Much like another film that tackled the male psyche that came out last year, that being A Different Man, Friendship tackles another side of the equation. While A Different Man dealt with identity and accepting your true self, Friendship is a bizarre comedy tackling why it is so hard to make friends. Tim Robinson plays Craig Waterman, a lonely, somewhat self centered man who has no filter and extremely poor social skills. He lacks emotional maturity and also self awareness about his grating personality. It's hard to imagine how he got married and stayed so for 16 years, but that is besides the point. We get a sense that Craig's schtick has grown tired as his wife is visibly having an emotional affair with an old ex and his son is becoming more and more distant. His lack of self awareness is meant to illustrate his loneliness is not because of awkwardness or because of social anxiety, but because his personality is completely devoid of modern mores. The good thing is the film doesn't blame this attitude due to a condition or due to past trauma, we are to assume he has always been this way. Then he meets Austin, played with usual charm by Paul Rudd.

In a lot of ways, Austin is the ideal man when we first meet him. Self assured, smooth and free. Unlike the corporatized Craig, he introduces a new world to Craig filled with friendship, connection and emotional availability. Trouble is, Craig is ill prepared to morph into this world of friendship. His mental state declines, all the while seeing how a man should deal with the pressures society puts on some men. While Austin struggles at first with his new change in life, he ultimately evens out and finds a way to deal with his promotion at work... like an actualized and emotional mature man should act. Craig on the other hand descends into an immature boy, seeking out creature comforts and trying to recapture an older version of himself rather than dealing with a new and evolving situation.

The final act is where much of Craig's disintegration occurs. He even states men shouldn't even have friends to begin with. Of course, this all plays out in a deeply sad string of events for Craig, leading to a shocking finale.

Now, I don't consider this an all encompassing foray into the world or men and how to build friendships, but it certainly is more realistic than another Rudd vehicle like I Love You Man. While much of society dismisses the struggles many men endure, the toughest has to be with male bonding. There is a reason why the alt-right is rife with angry men and some of the worst opinions are held by men. The lack of emotional maturity has made it easy to recruit these types, giving them a support mechanism that becomes "habit forming." Becoming a part of a team and then getting kicked off that team can be gut wrenching to many, especially if you don't have another "team" to jump into. And then you have an example like Craig Waterman, a man with no capability of reading a room and has most likely been hanging on by a thread for years. While I'm a completely different person, I feel his loneliness. Being an atheist tree hugging vegan in a small right wing town that loves hunting and steak, I've been something of a prisoner of my own doing. It's not that I really can't make friends, but who is going to relate to me when I tell a gun loving, fly fishing conservative that I don't eat steak due to an ethical philosophy I adopted years before. How does a man that loves Art, film and philosophy relate to people who aren't as educated on these subjects without coming off as a massive elitist? It would probably be like the moment Austin tells Craig he doesn't want to be friends after a rather awkward and unsettling moment occurs between them.

While Craig is definitely a man forged by his own experiences, you still feel bad for him. It's clear he doesn't fit anywhere in the world, and hence his outbursts become more and more outrageous as he finally understands this. But that is the quandary. Men have been taught individualism so much that it's hard to accept the idea that we are not wrong in our thoughts and we should not adjust our ideals to fit. Even I struggle with that, knowing there are few options for me at any restaurant or public eatery and it's best to just stay at home and make some quinoa and beans. I don't wanna be that guy at the restaurant table that has to ask a million questions about the food prep. Just give me the drink menu and a cheeseless and dressing less side salad. It's even affected my dating life, especially since I am nowhere near a large selection of my own kind and many have predisposed assumptions about me. So yes, in a lot of ways I empathize with Craig, though our own prisons are of different designs. There is also a lot of other things in the film that only men will really get, like our lack of depth in our conversations and the cruelty we may play on outsiders. But that is the male condition unfortunately, and too many of us are stuck on that hamster wheel just trying to deal with a society that continues to be aloof to our own unique problems.

I, admittedly, cringe very easily. I can't watch reality shows because the awkward conflict makes me uncomfortable. I like Tim Robinson sometimes when his outrageousness is so over the top that it's just separate from reality. In this film, he is great, as is Paul Rudd, and frankly everyone. The cringe is low key enough in most scenes to make you truly squirm. I found myself squirming far more than laughing in this movie. It was weird, wild, and unique. I liked it and it stuck with me. I am sure that the discomfort I felt watching it was the point. If you like that cringey feeling, you will really like this movie.

On the one hand, it's got moments of genuine hilarity and ingenuity. Rare these days in movie theaters - it seems only stand-up has any guts and originality. I laughed hard in places and so did the first-weekend LA crowd. On the other hand, the story is without much momentum and lacks a sense of inevitability. Feels random and without clear purpose/meaning. As though the whole thing were a series of sketches strung together with no driving thematic goal. Another way of putting it is that it does not get more interesting as it goes. But the acting and casting is superb. Very well directed. Bravo!

Making a name for himself with his particular brand of awkward humour that has served him well on various stand-up specials and Netflix backed series I Think You Should Leave, American comedian Tim Robinson makes the leap to leading man duties in Andrew DeYoung's feature debut that is one of the years most unique propositions.

Working alongside seasoned audience favourite Paul Rudd, Robinson here plays everyday office worker Craig, a softly spoken and floating middle-aged man who has recently been supporting his wife Tami's (a typically strong Kate Mara) cancer journey and see's huge potential with a friendship he has been striving for with his new neighbour Austin (Rudd).

It's a simplistic set-up in principle and one that's been a tried and true narrative starter in a multitude of purely comical or more dramedy centred affairs across the years but with Robinson in the lead and DuYoung committing to making sure his debut is not a cookie-cutter affair, Friendship provides an odd, unexpected, sometimes hilarious sometimes sad journey that is sure to win as many fans as it loses.

Early on in the building block stages of the film and Craig and Austin's budding relationship, Friendship provides a healthy ratio of hearty laughs and awkwardly hilarious hijinks but as we move forward from the initial half hour set-up Friendship enters into darker territory and it's likely that many willing viewers will begin to wilt as Craig's venture into the depths of desperation and poor decision making takes hold over him and the story itself.

It's undeniable that Robinson has a particular range as a performer and you can't see him ever escaping a typecast scenario he has created for himself and is likely content in but for what Friendship required he is a great choice and his back and forwards with Rudd are a real winner for the film with Rudd becoming the perfect foil for Robinson's mannerisms and antics that won't be for everyone but work for what is required here.

The film's fantastic early stretch is sadly never formed into the potential classic genre entry it might have been as things progress and narratively there's some significant gaps in pay-offs and exploration but in a climate where a lot of films of this ilk play it safe or do the bare minimum, its refreshing to watch something like Friendship that's so content being something a little bit different and non-concerned with the towing the line of expectation.

Final Say -

A must-see for any Tim Robinson fans and for anyone willing to take a strange and off-kilter journey into one man's crumbling life, Friendship isn't always an easy film to digest and is as much a drama as it is a comedic trip but it's an intriguing watch throughout and proves there's a place for Robinson in the feature film landscape.

3 1/2 fast moving pigs out of 5.

It's easy to describe this movie to someone who has watched "I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE" tv show(with Tim Robinson). FRIENDSHIP is like a 100 minutes episode of this show, less insane/provocative than an average episode,also a bit more entertaining addressing to larger audiences.

However, it's very difficult to describe this to someone who hasn't watched Robinson's tv shows. One might think that it's something like a dark comedy(like THE CABLE GUY) and a satire about male friendship. Or a deconstruction of movies regarding male friendship.

Truth is, even this description doesn't even begin to portray the sheer insanity of this movie. The male friendship is just a pretext, an excuse for all this surrealistic spectacle. This is more Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí than "Cable guy". But even Bunuel's movies had a second layer and they had a meaning. FRIENDSHIP has zero meaning or moral lessons or an underlying purpose. This is not about about society, there are no messages here, nothing.

There is a reviewer here named "aciessi" and i think his review is absolutely to the point : "I imagine some people have a lot of trouble explaining Tim Robinson. I think I can. He is the new champion of anti-comedy. Anti-comedy is almost a performance art unto itself and would suggest a uniquely higher level of understanding of what is funny and what is not, and then taking what is not funny and making it funny. It feels almost accidental, but it isn't.".

This.

I liked it a lot, there were many hilarious scenes, for real i would like to watch a 4 hour movie of Robinson. However, this is definitely not for everyone. Many people will call it a bad movie, and i won't even argue. It's not about right and wrong, good taste in movies and bad taste. Tim Robinson's cinematic value " lies in the eyes of the beholder".

I imagine some people have a lot of trouble explaining Tim Robinson. I think I can. He is the new champion of anti-comedy. Anti-comedy is almost a performance art unto itself and would suggest a uniquely higher level of understanding of what is funny and what is not, and then taking what is not funny and making it funny. It feels almost accidental, but it isn't. The original master was Andy Kaufman, and since his untimely death in 1984, he's had many unsuccessful imitators. We very nearly had a second-coming in Tom Green, until he took things completely over the line with Freddy Got Fingered, a film that strived to be a surrealist masterpiece and ended up being the Pink Flamingos of the 21st century. But now, in 2025, we have Tim Robinson and I think he's just about mastered this difficult technique. Perhaps by sheer virtue of the fact that he looks supremely uncomfortable at all times. He's the human embodiment of a caged rat being poked incessantly with a stick. There's a level of fear and confusion, mixed with a hair-triggered rage that could ignite at any moment. He looks and behaves like the most maladjusted human on earth. Then you take that person and make him a full-fledged comedian. Perhaps this is part of his comedic routine, but whatever it is, he's got that Kaufman "It" factor that's needed.

Enter, Friendship. If ever you needed to know what a Tim Robinson movie would be like, this is what it is. Some would say it's a 90-minute I Think You Should Leave skit, and you'd very much be right. This is a dark comedy about why grown men shouldn't have bromances. That said, it's 97 minutes of exactly how far Tim Robinson can take that premise. The sky isn't even the limit here. Robinson explores obsession and insecurity through the eyes of a man who has zero control over his impulsive thoughts. The rest of the cast looks on in terror, especially Paul Rudd, who approaches the role similarly to how he did in I Love You, Man. But a classic Judd Apatow-universe comedy this isn't. This is Tim Robinson's unhinged world and we are all held hostage.

I haven't laughed this hard in a movie theater in a decade. Studio comedies are dead. Comedy movies, in general, have dried up worse than the Mojave Desert. A24, I can attest, might be about to change that, and they have the right man to do it. If we could get a Tim Robinson comedy movie once a year, I'd be very happy.

Story ~ ⭐ 5.5/10

The writer forgot to close some story lines, and when you do that, you leave the audience wanting. The movie is a negative character arc for both Robinson and Rudd, and that's depressing, especially without meaning or something else to grab onto. Yes, it was funny, at times, but it was drowned out by a sea of not enough audience payoff. Clever ending, not really.

Acting ~ ⭐ 7.0/10

Robinson is doing Robinson and Rudd is doing Rudd. Expanding on Rudd, it seems he has some acting tic he can't shake that's turned him into a cliché; it's something in his face, like an invisible string keeps him from doing something different. At times, Robinson's slapstick, especially the scene with the Vietnam hat-wearing overactor, degenerated into a yelling match that should have been left with the editor. My 7 for acting is generous, thanks to Kate Mara, who delivered the most talent and nuance by far.

Cinematography ~ ⭐ 7.5/10

Nothing special here, but not bad either. Sorry, I can't offer more.

Recommendation: This is uncomfortable, awkward humor. If you like that, rent it, but pass on the theater run.

We finally got around to watching Friendship, a film we had sitting in our watchlist for a while, and... wow. We went in blind, only knowing the title-and what we got was a wild mix of laugh-out-loud absurdity and deeply uncomfortable emotional breakdowns. It's not your usual buddy comedy. This one's darker, messier, and much more personal.

Winny, always the first to catch emotional undercurrents, couldn't stop talking about how painfully real the main character's unraveling felt. He saw someone falling apart under pressure, stress, and years of not being understood-someone not evil, just painfully out of step with the world. Willow leaned in with a bit more logic, pointing out how a lot of the awkward or "cringe" moments felt more like defense mechanisms than malice. According to him, the character was a man trying to hold it together while everything around him changed.

Mimikyu brought both heart and sharpness to the convo-seeing the character as someone both tragic and responsible for his mess. The film's emotional whiplash between laughter and sadness hit her hardest. Amy, true to form, didn't let anything slide. She picked up on how the main character bulldozed past boundaries and social cues, making others uncomfortable without realizing it-or maybe not caring. Tails, of course, gave us the psychological breakdown, suggesting vulnerable narcissism as the root of the meltdown, while Sweet quietly pointed out how much the partner's emotional growth left the main character completely lost, stuck in the version of himself that no longer worked.

And then there's that moment-"She's in the sewer." Hard cut to a dog being pulled up a wall. We all lost it. The absurdity, the timing, the sudden break in tone-it was pure comedy gold in a movie filled with creeping emotional dread.

In the end, Friendship had us laughing, disturbed, reflective, and more than a little heartbroken. It's not an easy film to watch, but it hits a nerve in a way few comedies dare. 8/10 from all of us.

I saw this with about 40 other people. 20 were mostly laughing, the others ( me included) sat in silence.

I cannot fault the acting. Tim Robinson was really good portraying a man never at ease with himself and in a constant state of anxiety around others. He seems very aware that he doesn't fit in. The fact that he has an actractive wife (Kate Mara), who is working her arse off on her business that he in no way helps or offers encouragement gives him any confidence.

She just goes on with her business and the job of keeping her family together.

I just did not find much humor in a film that offered one cringe worthy scene after another. Like watching a car wreck waiting for the blood.

The obvious comparison is "I love you man," because of Rudd and some of the other narrative parallels, but I like to think of this as the origin story of the "dangerous nights I used to be a piece of $h!t" guy from I think you should leave.

Robinson strikes just the right balance between doing the things he's known for from ITYSL and Detroiters, and the kind of dark sadness that could only be depicted by someone who had a prior career in advertising (I say this as someone with a current career in advertising).

There's a real undercurrent of existential dread running from start to finish and in the end, they stick the landing on never really knowing what was reality vs fantasy.

It's a strong recommend from me, especially for those who enjoyed Robinson's previous projects, because make no mistake - while the supporting cast (primarily Mara and Rudd) anchors the reality - it's Robinson who sells the surreality required to tie it all together. 8/10.

At first glance, Friendship plays like it's gearing up to be a quirky indie comedy - awkward banter, strained smiles, and just enough charm to make you think you're in for a sad-sack buddy flick with heart. But then something shifts. Slowly. Quietly. And by the time the third act rolls around, you realize you're not watching a comedy at all. You're watching a slow-motion car wreck of emotional codependence and social decay - and you're in the passenger seat.

The film's real trick (and possibly its curse) is how it messes with your sympathy. I started off feeling sorry for Robinson's character - lonely, vulnerable, maybe a little pathetic. But as the story peeled back layers, that pity curdled into discomfort. Then resentment. Then something colder. And yet, by the end, I still wasn't sure if I hated him or just hated how much of him I recognized.

That emotional whiplash is probably the movie's greatest strength - and maybe its biggest obstacle. This is not a film that wants you to feel good. It wants you to squirm. It wants you to sit in the tension between wanting to help someone and realizing you might be feeding the very dysfunction you're trying to escape. That's powerful. It's also exhausting.

The writing is sharp, but it doesn't hold your hand. The pacing is deliberate (read: slow), the tone slippery, and the morality murky. You can tell this film wants to be part of the post-Anora wave - intimate, raw, and morally complex - but it lacks Anora's clarity and brutal elegance. Instead, Friendship smudges the lines until everything feels a little too fuzzy to fully land.

If Friendship is about anything, it might be this: the strange, sad reasons we keep toxic people in our lives. Loneliness. Obligation. Habit. Fear of what comes after letting go. It's a film that doesn't provide answers - just a long, uncomfortable mirror.

I give it a 6.5 out of 10. It's well-made. It's interesting. It hits hard. But it also left me more overwrought than enlightened. There's value in that, sure - but I'm not in a hurry to go through it again.

Honestly I'm not sure what I think about this film. As I was watching it I found myself cringing and uncomfortable at the awkwardness but also unable to look away. It makes for a compelling film in that way I suppose.

Tim Robinson is exceedingly good at this sort of role where you kind of root for him but also kind of want to smack him in the mouth. That is a clever aspect of the film to balance those two feelings, and it makes for an intriguing experience for the viewer. Paul Rudd is also really good as per usual, providing slightly more sanity for the viewer.

The comedy didn't always work for me. I think it was funny on balance, but could have been tighter in parts and looser in others. The plot was certainly something unique, so it does have that going for it.

Overall this film is a bit of a weird roller coaster, but not a bad one at all. It does make for a pretty intriguing and funny experience, but not one i'll be begging to revisit.

This indie comedy from A24 can sometimes feel a bit uneven, but its deadpan and blunt humor that also provides more thoughtful and subtextual commentary on male friendships under the surface makes it engaging and worth watching. The film focuses on Craig (Tim Robinson,) a marketing executive and father who befriends his neighbor Austin (Paul Rudd,) who is a weatherman.

Like many "slice of life" independent films, "Friendship" doesn't have a clear and thorough plot as its narrative backbone. Yet the writing is sharp and clever enough, and the two leads interesting enough that things still mostly work pretty well. The humor is able to balance more straightforward comedy with more dark and offbeat humor pretty well, particularly by showing that Craig's desire for connection is well-intentioned, but also risky. At 97 minutes, the film is pretty well-paced and never feels too long or too short. It does a good job at keeping the viewer engaged throughout. While the character development of Craig and Austin is not exceptional or truly unique, it is thorough and well-written enough to keep the viewer interested and justify the film progressing in the ways that it does. The film's humor isn't always consistently funny, but when it works (particularly in the first 45 minutes,) it really works. What holds the film back from being truly great is the lack of a directly emotional payoff and narrative stakes. In particular, there could have been a more compelling conclusion. That said, this is still a worthwhile dark comedy. Recommended. 7.5/10.

I almost had an emotional breakdown watching this film, as others have commented it really focuses on the problems of being a man. Often so isolating, constant feelings of rejection, gaping voids of emotional distance between partners, feelings of failure even when successful. Finding friends as a middle aged man is almost impossible, being emotionally available in a marriage is even harder, searching for that connection that as the years where on may simply not be there, and what is the solution? You wont find it here, here you will only find the madness, the desperation, the loneliness, the insanity. Is this film good? I'm not sure, but its on a similar level to Beau is afraid in really nailing down into the incredibly fragile masculine ego looking for validation, meaning, role models. The only journey needed is the journey inward and our protagonist only finds a glossy, commercial façade between him and his one true love, a complete emptiness.

Agh i cant work it out, is it genius, or was it just horrible? It definitely revealed some stuff about me thats for sure.

Great movie for the fact it made relive old moments of when I felt like the main character and trying to force myself to "fit in" with a already established friend group. It does drag on a bit but to sum it up. Its essentially ITYSL the movie if it was directed by david finch.

I think you could wait for it to hit streaming services. But could be a great movie for a date or if you just wanna pop some gummies and watch a very niche film. I would suggest making it a double feature and pair it with a marvel movie. I hear those things are freaking nuts! Or and they can be pretty funny as well. But just go expecting to be uncomfortable.

My husband and I can't stop talking about this film and what different scenes meant. We laughed throughout it with a theater of people, but were surprised about its philosophical message and provoking themes in what it means to be an American man in 2025. I know the middle-aged men portrayed in this film, many of them used to not married to my friends, and a few still can't seem to figure out how to connect to the people in their lives. I hate how this platform forces you to use a minimum number of words, but I'm going to do it because this film is a solid 8+ and I hate that it's currently at 7.7 when it's so much better than that if you're a thinking person.

On the one hand it has some really funny moments. On the other hand it feels like one really, really long sketch. It lacks any depth, "feel good moments". Based on these reviews you either seem to love it or "not get it". I guess I fall in the middle. I think it would help if you haven't watched the Netflix show I think you should leave. Also, definitely not as much Paul Rudd as I was hoping for, so be prepared for a lot more of the I think you should leave guy and his style of comedy.

I don't really have much else to say other than it's probably best to watch with a group of people as most comedies usually are.

Was lucky enough to catch a screening of this before wide release and I haven't had this much fun with a movie in I don't know how long. I've been a fan of Tim Robinson for years now and I'm glad he's finally starting to get the recognition he deserves. He absolutely crushed it in his first movie role. His chaotic, over the top personality is perfect for this. Paul Rudd also does a great job and has some great deliveries as well. My theater was packed and it was nonstop laughs from beginning to end. Movies like this are necessary. It's been a long time since a comedy has come around that's just been a pure comedy. I miss those days and I'm thankful this movie was made. Tim you're the man, keep being weird.

Also great music and surprisingly fantastic cinematography.

Friendship is a bit of an enigma. It's not a film for everyone, but its commitment to being weird will certainly win it favors with the right crowd. The main character, Craig Waterman, played by Tim Robinson, is aggressively unlikable. Craig is often random and expressive in an almost impressionistic way. The choice to center a whole movie around him is baffling, but bold. Fans of Robinson's sketch show will be used to his mannerisms and penchant for yelling, but the uninitiated may not find his particular brand of humor amusing.

The premise of the film is simple, a lonely man finds companionship in his charismatic weatherman neighbor Austin, played expertly by Paul Rudd. This premise is not exactly novel, there are many films about oddball friendship pairings, but the manner in which the film depicts the depths of Craigs delusional adoration of Austin is captivating. A traditional comedy would not make half the decisions the director Andrew DeYoung makes, the film is brooding and dark while obliviously having the intention of making the viewer laugh. While the disparate hodgepodge of comedy and sinister undertones may alienate casual viewers, those who strap themselves in a soak in this film will find it an entertaining experience. I was brought to tears in certain scenes, once you allow yourself to wince freely, you can begin to laugh wholeheartedly.

The scenes in the sewer illuminate the films thesis statement. For Craig, navigating his interpersonal relationships is much like wandering around a dark, dank sewer. He roams around his life able to occasionally act like he belongs, but never quite getting there. Even when he has the ability to sit down with his wife a kids and enjoy the pleasure of family, he years for male camaraderie that constantly eludes him.

Touching on some deeper themes of friendship and social alienation the film employs a great deal of introspective shot framing not normally utilized for a comedic film. The camera lays bear Craig's life, which makes it an even stranger choice to make him such a grating character. But the film is first and foremost a comedy, and in that respect it never stops succeeding.

I left the theater feeling as if I needed a deep cleanse. The scenes supposedly meant to be funny were not. Instead, they created a disturbing sense of voyeurism, as the viewer is forced to watch as an emotionally handicapped person embarrasses and debases himself and over again, in several ridiculous, often violent ways, causing harm to himself and others in his desperation to be included in his neighbor's circle of friends. His behavior was unpleasant and creepy, but, strangely, there was no attempt by anyone, wife or neighbor, to encourage him to seek help. There is no redeeming value in this depiction of male relationships.