Written and directed by Andrew DeYoung in his feature length debut, Friendship tells the cringey story of Craig Waterman (Tim Robinson), an advertising exec whose cancer-surviving wife, Tami (Kate Mara), recently took up with an ex-boyfriend, Devon (Josh Segarra), due to Craig’s emotional unavailability. Craig’s floundering at work and is friendless, but things begin looking up when a new neighbor, TV meteorologist Austin Carmichael (Paul Rudd), moves next door. After sharing a beer, Craig thinks he’s found a kindred spirit, but as the budding bromance turns into Craig’s obsessive infatuation, things turn very dark very fast.
FRIENDSHIP
What’s it rated? R
When? 2024
Where’s it showing? HBO Max
Robinson has made a career of depicting painfully awkward and desperate characters. He’s equal parts hilarious and wincingly repugnant. Rudd delivers his typical roguish nice guy, but as Craig becomes unhinged, Rudd’s Austin has to reject him with vigor. The story takes an expected but nonetheless shocking turn for the worse, and as the film closes, DeYoung signals that Craig is more than socially inept—he might be mentally ill.
The film won’t be for everyone, but there’s something poignant about Craig’s single-minded need for connection. Male loneliness is real, and DeYoung’s debut shines a spotlight on it. (100 min.) ∆
This article appears in Sept 18-28, 2025.