The Friend

Scott McGehee’s and David Siegel’s new film “The Friend” is yet another of those which has been mis-promoted by its studio in an effort to sell tickets.  From the trailer, one might get the impression “The Friend” is a laugh-out-loud Bill Murray comedy.  It is not.  First, it’s not a comedy.  And second, Bill Murray is barely in it.  And he’s dead during most of his scenes.

The set-up

Murray plays Walter, a writer and college professor, seemingly in good health – “The Friend” opens with Walter jogging through Central Park – who dies suddenly, leaving behind more untied loose ends than most of us experience in a lifetime.  While Walter was well respected iamongst his peers and in academia in general, he was also a bit of a cad.  At his funeral, the first and second of his three wives wives meet each other for the first time   Wife #1, Iris (played by the great Naomi Watts, in her meatiest role in years) meets Walter’s daughter Val (Sarah Pidgeon), a daughter she didn’t even know existed.

Yet none of the funeral guests is particularly shocked to learn of the existence of the others.  And while Walter’s death was sudden, no one seems to be in an especially bad mood.  Apparently, Walter’s transgressions have long since been forgiven, and those closest to him prefer to remember his warmth, wit, and effect on his students and others in the literary community.

The bombshell

The bombshell is dropped when Iris learns Walter has specifically requested she take care of his beloved dog Apollo.  Now, why Iris, one might ask?  She lives in a high-rise Manhattan apartment – which doesn’t even allow pets – and Apollo takes up a lot of space.  He’s a Great Dane, for cryin’ out loud!  But for reasons which shall become apparent as McGehee’s and Siegel’s original screenplay advances, he thought Iris would be best suited for this canine detail.

Not a typical dog movie

Now, here’s another example of how the studio – and let’s call out Bleeker Street Distribution specifically – has mis-promoted this picture.  “The Friend” is not a warm and fuzzy dog movie either; don’t take the kiddos, they’ll be bored.  Neither is “The Friend” an SNL-style slapstick movie, where the dog’s flatulence results in mildly amusing situations.  No, Iris’ relationship with Apollo is more intimate than that.

Oh sure, we can check off the human-canine milestones.  At first, she despises the dog.  Then she tries to pawn off the dog on others.  Then she grows closer to the dog, and they become best friends.  In this respect, “The Friend” has some similarities with “The Penguin Lessons,” also in theatres now.  But “The Friend” is deeper because Apollo is an extension of Walter.

Apollo

At first Apollo misses Walter so badly he whines all day, he insists on sleeping with one of Walter’s old sweatshirts, and he won’t even eat his dog food.  (Yeah, I know.  A dog that won’t eat.  But this is just a story, so go with it here.)  Apollo is not a happy camper.  He doesn’t particularly like music, he’s not loving and cuddly, and he just wants to be left alone.

But he does respond to the written word, particularly those written by Walter.  He likes to be read to.  And he seems to know those are Walter’s ashes when his survivors spread them into the Hudson River.  It will take a long time for Apollo to warm up to Iris, if in fact that is even possible.

Deeper turn

Over halfway through, “The Friend” takes a more serious turn when Iris meets with a psychiatrist.  Her goal is to have a professional certify Apollo as a therapy pet, which would allow Iris to keep the dog and her apartment.  But Iris learns something about suicide in the process.  You see, Walter’s death turns out to be no accident.  And while “The Friend” is certainly no deep exploration of the horrors of suicide, this angle does give it more weight than expected.

Breath of fresh air

And it is true that “The Friend” cannot be described as a comedy, but this is a light film, especially given the material.  It’s somewhat reminiscient of the old Neil Simon comedies, minus the snappy one-liners.  Even New York looks sunny and inviting – nothing like the grimy, gritty New York of recent Oscar winner “Anora.”  “The Friend” is warm, relaxed, and inviting.  McGehee and Siegel draw us in closer as the film progresses.  Will this one make any critic’s Top Ten List next year?  Doubtful.  But it is a breath of fresh air for adults, as the summer superhero and shoot-‘em-up season looms.

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Ray‘s reviews also appear on https://townepost.com/