Culture
Now Playing – ‘Friendship’: when tragedy becomes comedy
By: Gordon Briggs
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We’ve all been there before; we’re being introduced to a new group of potential friends, and we say or do something embarrassing in front of the entire group.
The movie Friendship uses those awkward social moments to craft a dark and offbeat comedy. Here, we meet Craig (Tim Robinson), a socially awkward executive who feels increasingly distant from his wife and kid. Things change for Craig when he strikes up a friendship with a charismatic neighbor, played by Paul Rudd.
That friendship starts off pleasant, but as Craig becomes more needy, the relationship slowly descends into obsession. Such a premise would be right at home in a thriller, but this movie wants to create a series of uncomfortable situations to make us laugh.
Full disclosure: This is my first experience with comedian Tim Robinson (Detroiters, I Think You Should Leave). His insistence on frequently screaming the end of his lines can be a bit much sometimes. Still, there were other times when the actor’s deadpan delivery made me laugh out loud.
A scene set in a sandwich shop still makes me chuckle thinking about it. Ultimately, Robinson’s character delivers here because the laughter is tinged with actual desperation.
Rating: ★ ★ ★
Now Playing is a column by film scholar Dr. Gordon Briggs published each Tuesday and Thursday. Tuesday’s column focuses on recently released film, followed by a Thursday piece that offers historical context or explores a related film.