‘Friendship’ Review: Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd Are a Riot in the Year’s Best Comedy

Tim Robinson is a comedic wrecking ball. A uniquely expressive, endlessly chaotic and wholly unpredictable performer, there is truly no one like him. Set him loose in even the most familiar of scenarios and he’ll blow it all up in hilarious fashion. None of this will be news to those who’ve seen his uproarious series “I Think You Should Leave,” an absurd gem because of how he decisively turns otherwise ordinary social situations inside out. Still, even existing fans of Robinson’s work aren’t prepared for what he’s done with the showstopper of a film, “Friendship.”  

Written and directed by Andrew DeYoung, who aligns perfectly with Robinson’s sensibilities, it’s a comedy about a guy who just wants his neighbor to be his friend. The man is Craig Waterman (Robinson) and he initially makes a connection with weatherman Austin Carmichael (Paul Rudd) after a package delivery mix-up brings them together. Craig is a rather boring fellow, going about his days at his job making apps more addictive while futilely trying to get his wife Tami (Kate Mara) and son Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer) to go see the most recent Marvel movie with him because “it’s supposed to be nuts.” This humorous, borderline sarcastic, recurring bit about the superhero monoculture being background noise yet of interest to a man like Craig is then made even funnier as Robinson shares increasingly silly scenes with Ant-Man himself: Rudd. It’s in their relationship that “Friendship” plays like a gleefully absurd twist on “The Banshees of Inisherin,” only with less blood and a focus on something approaching a more modern madness.

What begins with the duo bonding over a short period comes to an abrupt end when Austin says he doesn’t actually want to be friends with Craig after a weird night of drinking, singing Ghost Town DJ’s one-hit wonder “My Boo” and boxing in the garage with the boys. Of course, Craig, already with a tenuous grasp on reality, soon starts to spiral out of control. He’ll desperately try to recreate what he had with Austin and may just destroy both their lives in the process. 

While some of this has been described as an extended version of an “I Think You Should Leave” sketch, this does the film a disservice as what DeYoung and Robinson have created together is something all its own. Where that show was about more quick editing and often something closer to parody, “Friendship” takes its comedy very seriously with each bit breaking apart any expectations you may have for them. Spelling out any of these jokes would only take away from how witheringly funny they are, but everything from the off-kilter character interactions to a side-splitting punchline involving a certain fast food chain absolutely kills.

This is a comedy that cares about the craft of jokes that ensure every one, no matter how weird or far afield from the central premise they may get, lands perfectly. It’s about ratcheting up the tension of seeing Robinson’s unhinged man continue to make increasingly destructive choices that always feel right on the edge of the film losing a handle on what it’s doing. Critically, it all remains grounded in character where the humor stems from seeing just how odd Craig is in comparison to everyone around him. Where this was always present in “I Think You Should Leave,” “Friendship” not only pushes this further and for longer, but does so down genuinely unexpected paths. Never could the story be described as a series of sketches haphazardly stitched together as many comedies can fall into being. It looks and feels like a drama that is coming apart at the seams as Robinson careens his way through it. As DeYoung said following the film’s U.S. premiere at this year’s SXSW, he wanted it to be shot like “The Master.” While “Friendship” isn’t quite on that level, it not only looks the part, but embraces the humorous juxtapositions that come from Robinson’s unrelenting absurdity and the sinister dread of some of the visuals. For any of the other characters, with Rudd and Mara each proving excellent in how they play off of the strangeness, being trapped with Craig is like being stuck in a horror film. 

Whether you consider it a satire of the standard type of comedy about dopey dudes who are actually potentially destructive to themselves and those around them or a biting commentary about a distinctly modern crisis in masculinity, one thing is certain: “Friendship” is the funniest film of the year by a wide margin. Not only does it prove once again that Robinson is one of the most talented comedic voices of his generation, but it shows DeYoung is a filmmaker worth seeing with whatever he does next as well. You won’t want to become friends with Craig after this, but may neither of the maniacs bringing him to life ever change. Here’s hoping their collaboration is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 

“Friendship” hits theaters on Friday.

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