The Friend

Family friend Dane (Jason Segel) moves into the home of the Teague family to support dad Matthew (Casey Affleck) when mom Nicole (Dakota Johnson) is diagnosed with terminal cancer. This based-on-a-true-story account is heartfelt, sincere and well-acted, even if director Gabriela Cowperthwaite chooses a somewhat annoying narrative technique of several weakly defined timelines, arguably in an attempt to infuse a sense of peaks and valleys into a rather straightforward story. Perhaps she should have trusted the story itself and gone for a more linear approach, or at least fewer timelines. At any rate, the platonic love triangle has a fine balance between mystique and graciousness. There's an openness in the material which is attractive, and which works as a counterweight to the inevitable finiteness of Nicole's downward spiral. Thematically and emotionally, the film reaches its zenith in a segment towards the end when the wonderful Cherry Jones comes in to resuscitate Dane and Matthew - and help them lay Nicole to rest. Our Friend makes an impression, perhaps even a lasting one.

I read several of the reviews here before watching the film myself. The one criticism I found was the time jumping back and forth and how it was hard to follow. I didn't find it hard to follow at all, and I appreciated the time jumping. In my opinion it serves a purpose to give the audience a breath of fresh air from the heavy, depressing moments. Imagine if all of the incredibly sad scenes we're compiled together in the last 45 minutes to an hour as opposed to broken up by the more light hearted moments intermittently throughout. This movie is fantastic and I wouldn't change one detail about it. One of the best I've seen in a while. It is incredibly sad though. Warning to anybody who has ever dealt with cancer. It's rough.

Beautifully written and amazing performances by all. Easily one of the best movies I have seen these last 2-3 years.

I particularly loved the non linear leaps, backwards and forwards, to break-up what would have been a very sad and predictable timeline.

What's truly astonishing is that this story really happened. Stories like these need to be voiced and felt. We should be lucky to have a 'Dane' in our lives.

Parts are difficult watch, but absolutely worth it!.. Keep a box of Kleenex close by.

Must watch.

Reading the reviews a lot of people complain about how the time line jumps. I'm not sure the story could be told in a linear manner and not be even more confusing and less engaging. Not all events in our lives are exactly memorable until we look back at the decisions that led up to them. I realize this isn't traditional story telling but I know I don't always looks at the events in my life chronologically. This is the story of how 3 separate lives are intertwined, twisting and turning back on one another. If the movie was edited to present the same scenes in the order they happened I think it would be predictable and very sad.

A movie that accomplished something that not many movies can....getting me emotional. I don't know what broke my heart more, the plot of the movie, that it was a real story or that the cinema was literally empty for this hidden gem!

This is my favourite film so far at the LFF. Sure, it has a pretty amazing cast, which I guess wasn't cheap, but it proves again that all you need for a great movie is a great, gripping and authentic story. Sadly, a movie like Transformers will always be more successful at the box office, but this is an industry problem. I can just recommend EVERYONE to check this movie out!

It showcases the importance of real good friends, love, compassion, death, grief, guilt, family, society and community. The fact, that this is a real story helps a lot, though I am not sure how much was added for dramatical reasons, this movie felt honest and authentic during its whole run. Yes, it is a very slow paced movie, but this is exactly what it needs to showcase the problems the characters are facing.

Beautifully written and amazingly acted, this is one of the best movies I have seen this year and I fear, that it will fall off the radar of many people, so please watch it and spread the word! These stories need to be told, shown and experienced. Sure it's not an easy watch, but its absolutely worth it, trust me!