THE WORD ON POP CULTURE
  • Home
  • Movies
  • TV
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Pop Culture History
  • Shop

The Friend

4/14/2025

0 Comments

 
by Julian Spivey
Picture: Naomi Watts and Bing in
Photo: Bleecker Street
Directors: Scott McGehee & David Siegel
Starring: Naomi Watts, Bill Murray & Bing 
Rated: R (language) 
Runtime: 1 hour & 59 minutes 
 
“The Friend,” directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, is a film about grief and how taxing it can be on humans and our four-legged friends.
​
The film, based on Sigrid Nunez’s 2018 novel, is heavy and not fun to watch. I think folks need to know this because if you watch the trailer or even read some reviews mistakenly referring to the film as a “dramedy,” you’ll be disappointed.

Yes, there’s an adorable Great Dane, and that Great Dane helps the story’s lead, Iris, a New York City writer/professor grieving the suicide of her best friend, cope with her grief. She also helps Apollo, the Great Dane (Bing, one of the best dog actors you’ll come across), cope with his grief. But if you’re looking for a cute dog/single woman buddy film, this is much deeper than that.

So, “The Friend” isn’t fun. But is it good?

Yes.

Naomi Watts anchors the film with a beautiful performance as a woman struggling to figure out why her best friend, Walter (Bill Murray), decided to end his life, while also being tasked with editing a compilation of his correspondents, and then having his 150-pound Great Dane thrust upon her, despite her rent controlled apartment not allowing pets and her not being a dog person.

“The Friend” features the typical giant dog destroying the apartment when left alone for the day, an aspect of any movie of this ilk. However, we realize it isn’t because Apollo is destructive or bored, but because he’s grieving himself. One of the most touching moments of the film is when he commandeers an old sweater of Walter’s to snuggle, which Iris was keeping to remind her of her friend.

The supporting roles in the film are all well-acted with Sarah Pidgeon, Carla Gugino, Constance Wu, Noma Dumezweni and Ann Dowd all showing up from time to time as participants in Iris or Walter’s lives, but this is mostly Watts and Bing’s film, except for a scene toward the end of the movie when Iris imagines a conversation with Walter about why he did what he did and how to affects those left behind that gives Murray a chance to shine.

The hardest part of “The Friend” for my wife and me was the end when Iris realized the day would come when she’d have to say goodbye to Apollo, too. My wife and I recently said goodbye to the greatest dog we have ever known, and this scene, though beautiful in its narration by Watts, was almost too emotional for us to get through.

“The Friend” will certainly hit an emotional nerve with anyone who’s ever dealt with loss and grief, whether a family member or friend, of the two-legged or four-legged variety. It does so with a reality that is appreciated from a true-life aspect but might be a bit too jarring for anyone currently going through their own bout of grieving.  
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    August 2013
    December 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012


​
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Movies
  • TV
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Pop Culture History
  • Shop