Friendship is about a man who takes the concept of friendship too far. In the artistic style of Tim Robinson, this is the perfect role for a performer of his talents. Robinson has made a career of crafting unbelievable skits around characters who increasingly defy the odds of inappropriate behavior, such as a man who denies driving his hot dog-shaped car into a store while wearing a hot dog outfit. His latest role from the studio A24, Robinson, utilizes the extremities with a role about a lonely husband who genuinely falls in love friendship with the cool guy next door.
The film harkens back to movies like The Cable Guy, where an absurdly dark Jim Carrey becomes obsessed with the one customer who is friendly to him. Like the 1996 film, everyone’s life becomes upside-down due to this obsessive idea of friendship. The only difference is that Robinson has made this comedic character a creature quite fitting of his television show.
What is Friendship about?
The film centers on Craig (Tim Robinson), who lives an ordinary by-the-numbers life with his wife Tami (Kate Mara). From the beginning, we can see something strange about their marriage. Tami and Craig are at a cancer survivor group, where Tami is speaking about her experiences in the post-remission phase. Craig, who seems insecure in the discussion, makes the most inappropriate ableist remark about his life experience. It’s a sequence depicting the excessive difference in personalities between them. Craig and Tami also have a son named Steven, who strangely has a new girlfriend in the home every time we see him, and comes off aggressive towards his father.
Because of these factors, it’s clear from the start that Craig has trouble connecting to anyone in his home, especially outside his family life. That is, until a package belonging to his neighbor gets delivered to his home, and Craig decides to take the package to the correct house. This is where we meet Austin (Paul Rudd), a charming weatherman who immediately hits it off with Craig.
The film begins with the honeymoon phase of their relationship as the two men hang out at a local bar and Austin shows off his musical talents in a band. They talk about sports cars and work life, and at one point, Austin takes him to a secret place with tunnels, further establishing their bond. Then, as everything feels magical for Craig, the same gaping insecurities Craig displays in his marriage begin to form around Austin when he meets his other friends. The lack of unease causes him to say the wrong things and display unhealthy behavior. The result raises a red flag for Austin, and he decides to place some distance between himself and Craig. With the newfound feeling of losing a bromance, Craig begins spiraling, and the situation increasingly becomes comedically dark.
A24’s Friendship is about the insecurities of connection
The recurring theme throughout Friendship is the uncomfortable feeling of trying to connect. The film plays on these ideas in its maximalist form. It’s the relatable feeling of wanting to avoid awkward conversations while making friends, yet the more one tries to prevent it, the increasingly awkward it becomes anyway. Tim Robinson plays to these concepts magnificently and hilariously ramps up the cringe-inducing comedy. He can’t even ask his family if they want to see “the new Marvel” without appearing like an outcast in his home.
But while it is relatable, the film intentionally swings the character into borderline unsympathetic as Robinson takes Craig towards a character infusion of Kenny Powers and Jim Carrey in The Cable Guy. Once he realizes he is losing the one meaningful friendship outside his home, Craig fixates on repairing the situation. However, while doing so, he disconnects further from his family, and he does not seem to care because Paul Rudd has that impact on most people. The man was crowned “2001’s Sexiest Man Alive” for a reason. As far as Rudd‘s role as Austin, admittedly, his approach to the character is distractingly similar to his role in Anchorman. The entire movie almost feels like a spin-off of Anchorman, where Brian Fantana moves to the suburbs, becomes a weatherman, and is stalked by his neighbor.
Director Andrew DeYoung made a true A24 comedy
Friendship might feel like a 95-minute skit from I Think You Should Leave, but what makes it funnier is how it leans into A24 characteristics for comedic effect. For instance, Craig’s story arc almost feels ripe for a chaotic Safdie Brothers movie. Robinson has shades of the lovable, scummy nature of Adam Sandler‘s persona from Uncut Gems. The cinematography also feels very A24, using camera zoom as a mechanic to build the comedically dark moments.
One sequence involving Craig’s wife Tami that hilariously almost turns into an Ari Aster film out of nowhere. This sequence demonstrates why she was a great casting choice for this film. Mara is mainly known for dramatic performances, and the experience empowers her to execute a comically chilling moment in this segment. The A24 aesthetic has the spirit of a studio lovingly poking fun at itself while making an experience that fits right into the extensive legacy of great films.
Overall, Friendship is the type of movie one expects from Tim Robinson. It’s a continuation of the cringe-inducing, absurdist, and satirical comedy that fans adore. The film evokes memories of The Cable Guy, a criminally underrated dark comedy about an obsessive man’s pursuit of friendship. The experience of watching this in a theater was fascinating because there was a mixture of older and younger audiences. One half of the crowd was laughing uncontrollably, the other half (the older generation) genuinely had baffling expressions on their faces. For that reason, one might consider that a success by Andrew DeYoung and Tim Robinson.
A24’s Friendship releases May 23, 2025. Are you going to catch this movie in the theaters soon? Let us know what you think of it on social media @MyCosmicCircus or @TheCosmicCircus.com on Bluesky!
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