The Friend

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The Friend

R

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2h 3m

Drama

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

82%

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101 Reviews

79%

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250+ Verified Ratings

In The Friend, writer and teacher Iris (Naomi Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor (Bill Murray) dies suddenly and bequeaths her his beloved 150 lb. Great Dane. The regal yet intractable beast, named Apollo, immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones, his looming presence constantly reminding her of her friend's problematic choices in both life and death. Yet as Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding with the animal, she begins to come to terms with her past, her lost friend, and her own creative inner life.

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Critics Consensus

Leavening its parable of grief with some adorable human-canine bonding, The Friend is a winsome dramedy that'll resonate with pet owners and just about anyone who's experienced loss.

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Dwight Brown

DwightBrownInk.com

A love letter to the canine community. Also, one of the warmest depictions of New York in recent memory.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 15, 2025

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

This dog can act!

Apr 9, 2025

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Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

Watts finds another rich vein of emotion to dramatize with delicacy, humor and intelligent vulnerability.

Apr 7, 2025

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Chance Solem-Pfeifer

Willamette Week

Most of The Friend... unfolds as a light, occasionally frustrating sitcom.

Apr 14, 2025

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Chuck Bowen

Style Weekly (Richmond, VA)

Rather than trying haphazardly to recalibrate a familiar recipe, the filmmakers execute it with uncommon grace and sensitivity.

Apr 14, 2025

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Kiko Martinez

The Cinesnob Podcast

All the emotions in The Friend are only skin deep.

Rated: C

Apr 12, 2025

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Erwin V

Thoroughly enjoyable movie, which managed to both be an homage to dogs, as well as a philosophical treatise about the meaning of life.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/16/25

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Anastasia S

I found this to be a sweet story exploring the many layers of friendship.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/16/25

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Linda W

I thought there'd be more humor

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/16/25

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Deb

The dog was nice, but the movie was very slow.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/16/25

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Sheila

Good story. You really get caught up in the characters and you will fall in love with Apollo. Very sweet story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/16/25

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Melissa

I loved this movie. I am a dog person, so there's that, but I thought the characters were very well developed and the movie avoided some of the usual cute dog approaches that can make a movie seem more superficial. There was complexity in the characters and how they interacted with each other. The dog was amazing! I read some reviews that said the plot was slow moving, and that may be true in parts. But my view of that is character development takes those kinds of momentts and every minute the Great Dane was on the screen was a winner. Loved it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/16/25

Full Review

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Scott McGehee

Director

David Siegel

Director

Naomi Watts

Iris

Bill Murray

Walter

Noma Dumezweni

Barbara

Sarah Baskin

Mara

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The Friend: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In The Friend, writer and teacher Iris (Naomi Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor (Bill Murray) dies suddenly and bequeaths her his beloved 150 lb. Great Dane. The regal yet intractable beast, named Apollo, immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones, his looming presence constantly reminding her of her friend's problematic choices in both life and death. Yet as Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding with the animal, she begins to come to terms with her past, her lost friend, and her own creative inner life.

Director: Scott McGehee, David Siegel
Producer: Liza Chasin, Scott McGehee, David Siegel, Mike Spreter
Screenwriter: Scott McGehee, David Siegel
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Production Co: Big Creek Projects, 3dot productions
Rating: R (A Sexual Reference|Language)
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 4, 2025, Wide
Runtime: 2h 3m

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