Envision an average guy named Craig having a relaxing night in with the pals. In a moment of vulnerability, he begins divulging some recent struggles he has encountered in his home life. His friends encourage him to remain optimistic during these challenging times through their warm words of wisdom. He feels truly seen as a wave of unconditional acceptance gently washes over him. Then, out of the corner of his ear, he overhears one of these friends suddenly break into song. By the time the rest of the group joins in, he realizes they are reciting the lyrics of Inoj’s “I Wanna Be Your Lady,” popularized by 2016’s Running Man craze, with utter sincerity. If audiences can find even a sliver of fascination in this bizarre episode, they will be pleased to know it is just one of several delightfully awkward scenes that give life to A24’s latest feature comedy, “Friendship.”
The film follows the frustratingly unfulfilling life of Craig Waterman, portrayed by cringe-comedian Tim Robinson of “I Think You Should Leave” and “Detroiters” fame. Isolation plagues every corner of Craig’s existence, from his morally questionable job at a marketing firm to his dispassionate relationship with his wife and son. This bleak reality is upended by the arrival of Craig’s new neighbor, Austin (Paul Rudd), weatherman by day and punk vocalist by night. Austin takes an immediate liking to Craig, inviting him into the alluring adventures of his world. But after a disastrous evening that leaves Austin thoroughly embarrassed, Craig is shunned from his newfound friendship. Desperate to recapture the brief glimmer of excitement found in Austin’s arrival, Craig’s equally hilarious and distressing quest for fulfillment puts himself and the lives of those around him at continual risk.
Many will be quick to liken “Friendship” to a 90-minute string of comedy sketches, where each scene is tonally and structurally similar to the vignettes found in Robinson’s sketch comedy show “I Think You Should Leave.” All of the hallmarks of that series–the frantic escalation of conflict, the offbeat dialogue, the uncomfortably surreal atmosphere–are, indeed, present in this film. Fans of Robinson’s previous work will be pleased to hear that “Friendship” executes these aspects of his signature style with grace, seamlessly blending creative visual gags, slapstick humor and a myriad of satisfyingly comedic setups and payoffs.
However, unburdened by the inherent limitations of a comedy sketch show, this film is allowed to be more than a compilation of disconnected slices of entertainment. Although each scene in “Friendship” could theoretically be enjoyed in this isolated manner, they are composed and sequenced in such a way that the film always maintains a sense of forward momentum. As a result, it constantly feels like it is building upon itself both narratively and comedically, rarely flatlining or becoming stale. The smooth transition of Robinson’s style to the big screen is all the more impressive considering “Friendship” marks both his and Director Andrew DeYoung’s first significant leaps into film.
This feature-length format also affords the opportunity for “Friendship” to be surprisingly topical and dense in its depiction of male loneliness in the modern age. The film satirically conveys how the male ego often finds itself at odds with man’s desire for true belonging. Thematically correlating with Craig’s marketing job, Robinson and Rudd’s characters both attempt to project idealized images of themselves to feel fulfilled. The gradual crumbling of these illusions constructed by the ego leads to increasingly wince-worthy, self-destructive behavior. This perpetual struggle at the core of the film is as saddening as it is foolish, making it ripe for comedic exploits. Following in the footsteps of the absurdist comedies that came before it, the film makes full use of its niche brand of humor to expose the peculiarity of relevant social issues in both an entertaining and insightful light. In doing so, “Friendship” delivers a uniquely uncomfortable, yet endlessly mesmerizing artistic experiment.
“Friendship” releases in theaters nationwide on May 23.