Friendship

I’ve struggled to figure out what to say about this movie but after some time with it I think I have my answer. 

It’s funny, shocking, surprisingly complex and Tim Robinson gives me the icks. 

The closest comparison I can think of is Chris Elliott and also possibly Ricky Gervais. I find them so off putting that I struggle to enjoy any time with their various projects. 

There is also, I think, an inherent cruelty to what they do — sometimes directed at others — often directed at themselves that I do not enjoy. 

Some people love to cringe. I am not among them. It’s not my scene man.

Borat is like that for me too. Lots of people found that movie funny. I gave up. I thought it was mean. 

I once struggled through Dumb and Dumber as a large crowd of family members around me laughed at every moment. 

I’m not saying anyone who enjoys any of this is wrong I’m just saying I’m out. The same is true for body horror movies. I get why people like them but they are not for me. 

I just present all this so you know where on the spectrum to place Friendship. If any of those things I mentioned really do it for you then Friendship is almost certainly your jam. 

And I must say that I laughed at a lot of this but the laughs usually gave way to the ick. 

And there is real genius here. Getting Paul Rudd to essentially reprise his Anchorman character is big plus. 

I was invested in the marriage between Robinson and Kate Mara’s characters Craig and Tami 

The little things that keep coming back, like Tami’s frequently mentioned ongoing connection to her ex-boyfriend or Craig’s obsession with a large meal, made me cackle. 

It’s a well made movie, in the way that The Substance is a well made movie. 

Something can be great but still not be your jam.