Friendship features the laugh-inducing, social anxiety comedic routine of Tim Robinson that when paired with the ever delightful and hilarious Paul Rudd, creates one twisted and outrageously entertaining comedy that explores the murky waters of adult male friendships.

 

After having its world premiere at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and becoming one of the hardest to acquire tickets of the festival, the A24 Tim Robinson Paul Rudd comedy is finally releasing to the general public. And having missed it at the Toronto International Film Festival myself, getting to see what all the hype has been about for the past nine months was an exciting way to start off the long weekend. While I am not too familiar with Robinson’s style of comedy, it quickly became evident that this film felt like a supersized episode of his sketch television series I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. Friendship is made for fans of Robinson and has an undeniable wicked sense of humour that should more than excite the casual movie goer as the brilliant comedic timing of Robinson and Rudd make for one unforgettable laugh-a-thon.

 

Focusing less on narrative and more on the tone and escalating anxiety of the film’s main character, Friendship follows Craig, a suburban dad, who becomes obsessed with his new neighbour Austin, unable to let go of their friendship and goes to extreme and detrimental lengths to keep Austin in his life. Stylized similarly as a true crime documentary with a twisted sense of humour, there is an uncomfortableness to Craig and his fascination with Austin, which creates a jarring clash of tones with the film’s comedy moments. This amplifies the social anxiety faced by Craig and inflicts it on the audience, generating some amazing laugh out loud moments as well as moments of pure cringe and horror as you watch the lengths that Craig goes to to feel close to Austin. From drinks with the boys, exploring the local sewers, one wild drug trip, and drumming, it’s amazing what writer and director Andrew DeYoung has turned into a genius comedic moment that also borders on being a horror movie at times. Without question, it is one of the most unforgettable comedies in a long time due to the bold narrative swings and themes of friendship, desperation and a desire to fit in that DeYoung explores in the film, leading to some truly shocking moments that will have audiences bursting into laughter while feeling disturbed at the same time.

 

It should be no surprise that Friendship is the laugh out loud event of the summer due to the performances of Robinson and Rudd. Robinson perfectly captures the anxious energy of Craig, desperately wanting to fit in and unaware of the effect his actions, statements and presence has on others, letting his admiration for Austin completely blind him. His comedic timing is impeccable, which will no doubt thrill fans of his, but he accomplishes the challenging aspect of this role: making audiences feel both sad for Craig as he tries so hard to fit in and make friends, while also leaving them incredibly disturbed by his actions. It’s a nuanced performance that captures the complexities of the character and the intricacies of DeYoung’s writing, making Robinson the true star of the film.