Director: Andrew DeYoung
Cast: Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer, Josh Segarra, Billy Bryk
Screenplay: Andrew DeYoung
100 mins. Rated R for language and some drug content.

I didn’t quite know what to expect from Friendship, it being the first feature film to star Tim Robinson (TV’s I Think You Should Leave) in a prominent role, especially with A24 involved and Paul Rudd (Avengers: Endgame) playing off the eccentric comic actor. I’m glad I didn’t have a clue what Friendship would be, because it often feels like a feature-length segment from I Think You Should Leave while also examining the completely absurd dynamic of adult male friendships, but more than anything, it’s the funniest movie I’ve seen in years.

Craig (Robinson) is an average suburban dad. He spends most of his night playing on his phone, supporting his family, and trying to get them to see the new Marvel with him. Everything changes, though, when his wife Tami (Kate Mara, Brokeback Mountain) convinces him into getting a beer with his new neighbor Austin (Rudd), a local meteorologist. From there, the two men hit it off and become great friends until, out of nowhere, Austin doesn’t want to be friends anymore. Now, Craig’s entire life is in turmoil as he tries to uncover why this happened and how to salvage his friendship.

It becomes clear from the opening scene of Friendship exactly what the level of absurdist humor that writer/director Andrew DeYoung is aiming for. When a comedy begins by mining humor from a cancer survivor’s group, there’s an understanding that is relayed to the audience to get ready. I should point out though that the humor in this scene as well as the entire film is aimed at its main character, avoiding punching down on others and strictly going after Craig.

It’s interesting to see Paul Rudd play, in many ways, the straight man to Robinson’s absolutely unhinged Craig. There’s some lunacy to be had with Rudd, but it’s more feeding off the energy of the world that Craig inhabits. The comedy derived from their bromance and subsequent shattering underscores the ways that Robinson’s style of humor and DeYoung’s storytelling examine the unusual and complex nature of male relationships. This is a unique brand of humor that won’t work for some who may prefer the slightly more accessible I Love You, Man, also featuring Rudd in a bromance tale, though I prefer the uniquely strange humor of Robinson’s film.

From a peculiar song choice to a wonderfully silly drug trip sequence, Friendship is a movie with a humor like almost nothing else, perfectly channeling Tim Robinson’s style and telling a delightfully unhinged tale of bromances and the difficulties of navigating male friendships. I couldn’t stop laughing at my packed screening, so much so that my sides hurt leaving the theater. Now, I should warn that this type of humor isn’t for everyone (great humor rarely ever is). I would suggest that viewers unfamiliar with Robinson’s style check out his show I Think You Should Leave before deciding if this is for them. As for me, I loved Friendship, and I cannot wait to get back in that theater for another round with Craig and Austin.

4.5/5
-Kyle A. Goethe