- Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson star in heavily praised dark comedy
- Friendship currently rated at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Film is Robinson’s first leading role in a movie
Friendship, the upcoming A24 comedy starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd, is set to become one of the biggest hits of the year. And possibly the decade according to some reviews.
The film, which sees suburban dad Craig Waterman (Robinson) become charmed by charismatic new neighbour Austin Carmichael (Rudd), is due to hit cinemas in May, but has already been widely and enthusiastically praised by critics.
In circumstances befitting of Robinson’s propensity for the dark and absurd (see his beautifully twisted work at its finest in I Think You Should Leave and Detroiters) Craig’s attempts at building a friendship with Austin rapidly veer very far off the rails. And critics could not get enough of what they saw in advanced screenings.
Friendship – One of the 21st Century’s Greatest Comedies Incoming?
Friendship is currently sitting on a very robust 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Pretty impressive after 44 reviews. And the reviews are not shy with heaping praise upon the A24 hit.
Adam Nayman of The Ringer said of the film, “Andrew DeYoung’s Friendship hits the mark—over and over again, with the sledgehammer finesse we’ve come to expect from the movie’s star Tim Robinson. It’s high praise to say that the film feels like an extended episode of I Think You Should Leave.”
In her review for GQ, Esther Zuckerman writes, amid a litany of praise, “There’s a sustained sequence where Craig trips that is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”
Adrian Horton says that director Andrew DeYoung “spins comedy gold out the straight male loneliness epidemic” in her four star review of the film for The Guardian, from a screening at SXSW earlier this year.
The Decade’s Finest Comedy?
But perhaps the highest praise for Friendship came from Nathan McVay at HeyUGuys, who wrote, “Friendship is original, incredibly scripted and performed, and destined to be a comedy cult classic. It might be the best comedy of the past 10 years. I do know it is a movie I will never forget.”
With audiences still yet to see the film, which arrives in cinemas next month, expect to hear a lot more about it when it lands for public consumption on May 9.
I Think You Should Leave and Detroiters fans will also be delighted to know that Conner O’Malley forms part of the supporting cast. O’Malley stars alongside the likes of Kate Mara (24, House of Cards) and Josh Segarra (Abbott Elementary, Scream VI).
