The Friend

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2:29

The Friend

In Theaters Fri Mar 28

2h 3m

Comedy

Drama

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100%

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20 Reviews

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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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In Theaters Fri Mar 28

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David Siegel

Director

Scott McGehee

Director

Naomi Watts

Actor

Bill Murray

Actor

Sarah Pidgeon

Actor

Carla Gugino

Actor

Steve Pond

TheWrap

“The Friend” juggles the happy, the sad and the bittersweet while somehow managing not to lose the lightness that has kept it afloat.

Oct 15, 2024

Full Review

Bilge Ebiri

New York Magazine/Vulture

The Friend functions perfectly well as a dog picture, a movie about a frazzled single woman learning to care for a gentle but unruly animal in the big, bad city.

Oct 10, 2024

Full Review

Adrian Horton

Guardian

It succeeds when it boils down to its two main characters -- a sweet, naturalistic tale of this odd couple who learn to adore each other, with a few montages that feel fully out of a dog adoption ad.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 3, 2024

Full Review

Alex Papaioannou

InSession Film

And while the cathartic climax of this film may fall a bit flat, McGehee and Siegel carry The Friend in subversive, interesting ways right up until the credits roll.

Rated: C

Oct 10, 2024

Full Review

Andy Howell

Film Threat

I’m just glad that somebody is making high-quality movies for adults with dogs.

Rated: 7/10

Oct 8, 2024

Full Review

Michael Frank

The Film Stage

It’s the type of film my parents would love––something shown on a cable network on a Sunday afternoon, easy to watch with just enough substance to make the audience feel something reminiscent of sadness. That’s a compliment, though.

Rated: B-

Oct 4, 2024

Full Review

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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: David Siegel, Scott McGehee
Producer: Liza Chasin, Scott McGehee, David Siegel, Mike Spreter
Screenwriter: David Siegel, Scott McGehee
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 28, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 2h 3m