Before I get into this review, I need to give the following Trigger Warning: suicide, grieving animal.
Life is not always filled with sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns. Movies run the gamut of human experiences, including the more difficult parts. The Friend is one of these pieces. It is based on the novel of the same name by Sigrid Nunez.
How do you process the intense emotions of grief and anger after someone commits suicide when you are also caring for an animal that doesn’t understand what is happening nor are they able to express themselves?
Iris (Naomi Watts) is living her life in New York when her close friend and mentor Walter (Bill Murray) commits suicide. According to his widow, Barbara (Noma Dumezweni), not only does she not like dogs, Walter said Iris would take Apollo. Iris grudgingly agrees to temporarily do so while she figures out a permanent solution. The question, “What’s going to happen to the dog?” becomes a recurring theme and assists with the pacing. I did not check my watch and was almost shocked to realize that 2 hours had passed.
The acting is strong, and Watts works excellently with the natural moments Bing, the 180-lb Harlequin Great Dane, provides. I may or may not have reached for a tissue a few times, so be prepared. I will admit to finding myself cheering for the choice made not to focus on Iris being single outside of it being a fact about her. Her “marital status”/dating life was not needed and not addressed, which is rare when there is a female lead over 18.
The cinematography and sound show a love of New York, pets, and pet lovers. The set for Iris’s rent-controlled apartment, which an employed person could afford, was realistic. It wasn’t flashy with a fantastic view, nor rundown and scary. Hearing the flow of traffic and occasional sirens helped to keep me present with the film.
If you are in a place where the trigger warning above does not trigger you, I recommend seeing this film. Then, take some time to reach out to your friends and let them know you are thinking of them. (It’s a complete bonus if they also have a pet you get to visit.)
Director: Scott McGehee, David Siegel
Cast: Bill Murray, Naomi Watts, Chloé Xhauflaire
MPAA Rating: Rated R for language including a sexual reference.
Selig Rating: 4 stars
Runtime: 2h
Release Date: April 4, 2025
Genre(s): Drama
Movie Site: The Friend website
Trailer: The Friend trailer
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
