A suburban dad falls hard for his charismatic new neighbor.
Chuck says:
Craig has a unique ability, a superpower if you will. Whenever he walks into a room, the mood noticeably shifts. Silence ensues, a sense of awkwardness prevails, and people begin looking at their feet. My grandmother would have said Craig is “a little off,” and she would have been right. To be clear, he’s a nice guy, has the best of intentions and just wants to fit in. Yet, therein lies the problem; no matter how he tries to squeeze his square-shaped personality into the round hole everyone else occupies, it just doesn’t work.
Andrew DeYoung’s “Friendship” examines not only the dynamic a guy like Craig brings to society, but more importantly, how those who might hold him in disdain, act around him. Humorously uncomfortable throughout, the film benefits from casting Tim Robinson as Craig, the actor having perfected roles like this in the series, “I Think You Should Leave.” Embracing the overbearing, neediness of the character, he serves as a wonderful foil the other characters must navigate around.
Craig’s focal point is him…all the time. If there’s a situation that requires empathy towards someone else, he’s at sea. This is evident from the start when we see him attending a cancer support group with his long-suffering wife, Tami (Kate Mara). Expressing her relief for seemingly having beaten the disease, all he can do is speak about his own concerns. It’s no surprise their marriage is in trouble.
So, when a new couple move in down the block, she doesn’t hesitate to send Craig to their house to strike up a new friendship. His initial interactions with Austin (Paul Rudd) are promising. They hang out, Austin introduces Craig to his cadre of buds, and all seems right with the world. That is, until an incident occurs that leads to Craig being ostracized from the group.
While so many films examine the toxicity that can develop in male friendships, DeYoung is more interested in the insecurities that fuel them. Austin’s bravado is a façade, a front used to hide his own fears and doubts. That Craig worships him is evident from the start, so he keeps him around to stoke his fragile ego. It’s implied that everyone in Austin’s circle is each dealing with anxiety, the bro-like behavior they engage in, serving to obscure this. Craig threatens the group, because his behavior is an example of all they want to keep hidden.
Craig’s desperation results in one hilarious moment after the next. Robinson’s manic approach puts the viewer immediately on edge, making it easy to relate to what Tami, Austin and the others are dealing with. A feeling of discomfort radiates from the screen as the damage stemming from his well-meaning actions increases, resulting in a spectacular moment of impulsivity that leads to ruin.
Rudd and Mara have enough presence not to be blown off the screen by Robinson’s grand turn. They’re wise enough to know their best move is to take a step back, delivering genuine and poignant responses in the face of their co-star’s antics. As their characters are forced to reckon just how to deal with Craig and consider how they each may have enabled him, Rudd and Mara make sure the film doesn’t spin out of control.
And while the team at A24 is promoting “Friendship” as a comedy, there’s much more at play here. As each of the characters deal with loneliness and angst, we can’t help but identify with their efforts to put on a brave face. Fearful it may slip to reveal what’s beneath is just another worry we all must contend with.
3 1/2 Stars
