The Friend (15)
Cast: Naomi Watts, Chloe Xhauflaire, Bill MurrayGenre: Drama
Author(s): David Siegel, Scott McGehee
Director: David Siegel, Scott McGehee
Release Date: 25/04/2025
Running Time: 120mins
Country: US
Year: 2025
New York novelist and writing teacher Iris is devastated when her erudite mentor, Walter, commits suicide and leaves behind various female admirers and an unusual bequest: his Great Dane named Apollo. Iris lives in an apartment that doesn't allow pet residents so she is forced to find a new home for her unruly four-legged inheritance. As she spends time with Apollo and treats the animal as a confidant, Iris becomes emotionally attached to the hulking pet.
LondonNet Film Review
The Friend (15) Film Review from LondonNet
A dog’s unconditional love is a balm to unresolved grief and simmering rage in a heart-tugging drama comedy written and directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel. Adapted from Sigrid Nunez’s novel, The Friend opens with the prosaic inner monologue of New York author and writing teacher Iris (Naomi Watts) shortly after her erudite mentor (Bill Murray) has taken his own life and left devastation and bewilderment in his wake…
Iris recalls some of the writing tips that informed his critically acclaimed work – beware the obvious detail, embrace disorder – and McGehee and Siegel’s script abides by these rules, resolutely avoiding shameless emotional manipulation in a sombre closing 20 minutes to rival the tear-stained resolution of Marley & Me. Watts’ sympathetic and understated lead performance is enriched by her on-screen double-act with hulking four-legged co-star Bing, who delivers silent, mournful stares with aplomb.
The film’s tug of war between comedy and tragedy is delicately balanced when Iris and the great Dane vie for supremacy inside her apartment (no treats for guessing who comes out as top dog.) When the narrative ventures outside for walkies, reminiscence and other diversions, including a well-meaning intervention by Iris’s neighbours to prioritise her own wellbeing over a pet, the tonal imbalance becomes pronounced.
Iris (Watts) is devastated at the suicide of her philandering best friend, Walter (Murray). At work, colleagues offer sympathies in passing, which Iris pithily describes as “drive-by condolence”. Walter leaves behind current wife Barbara (Noma Dumezweni) and her two predecessors, Elaine (Carla Gugino) and Tuesday (Constance Wu), legions of adoring fans and his beloved six-year-old great Dane, Apollo (Bing), which he adopted after stumbling upon the stray during a morning run in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge. Unflattering headlines about “that misconduct nonsense”, which abruptly ended Walter’s teaching career, are forgotten to concentrate on an enviable back catalogue including the novels Hagerstown and The Wavering, and the tantalising promise of an unfinished work.
Iris is bequeathed the unpolished final manuscript as well as Apollo. “You were his contingency plan,” Barbara confides. Unfortunately, Iris lives in her late father’s rent-controlled apartment and the tenancy agreement forbids pet residents. Building superintendent Hektor (Felix Solis) repeatedly warns Iris that keeping her unruly 150lb inheritance risks eviction, even for a short while until she can find a suitable animal shelter. As Iris spends more time with Apollo and treats the animal as a confidant for her grief and professional woes, she becomes emotionally attached to the hulking canine.
The Friend is a tenderly observed study of loss and regret, elevated by heartfelt performances and wry dialogue (“He’d have loved seeing his three wives stuck on a tiny boat together!”) Several supporting characters feel undernourished. Tellingly, Bing says more with a disdainful stare or full-bellied howl.
– Jo Planter
Popular on LondonNet
London Cinemas Showing The Friend
From: Friday 18th April
To: Thursday 24th April
No cinema infomation at the moment
From: Friday 25th April
To: Thursday 1st May
Cineworld At The O2, Greenwich
Fri/Sun-Wed 17:00; Sat 17:30; Thu 13:50
Fri 14:10 20:00; Sat/Mon/Wed 14:10 19:20; Sun 15:10 19:20; Tue 14:10 20:10; Thu 16:30
Fri/Mon 17:00; Sat 15:50; Sun 16:15; Tue 19:30; Wed 12:30; Thu 16:10
Fri 13:20; Sun 11:00; Mon 13:30; Tue 16:20; Wed 16:40; Thu 13:45
Fri/Mon-Wed 13:50; Sat 12:20; Sun 13:10; Thu 12:00 17:00
Sat/Sun 11:50; Thu 15:50
Fri/Tue 13:20 15:40 (Tue); Sat/Sun 11:50; Mon 13:20 18:10; Wed 14:10; Thu 13:10 16:10
Fri 16:50; Sat 12:45; Sun 10:05; Mon 14:05 17:35; Tue 16:10; Wed 14:05 16:25 23:50; Thu 10:05 13:25 16:45
Fri 23:40; Sat 09:50 00:00; Sun 22:15; Mon/Tue 14:40; Wed 14:00 16:35 22:25; Thu 09:40 11:40 14:50
Fri 14:15; Sat 10:00; Sun 23:20; Mon 14:55; Tue 14:25; Wed 17:10; Thu 11:15
Fri 12:10 16:10; Sat 17:25; Sun 16:20; Mon 11:55 14:55 17:15; Tue 12:40 14:30 17:05; Wed 12:35 14:45 17:20; Thu 11:20 14:10 16:45
Fri/Wed 11:45; Sat 10:45; Sun 11:35; Mon 11:30; Tue 12:55 22:25; Thu 09:45 11:45 15:15
UK and Irish Cinemas Showing The Friend
From: Friday 18th April
To: Thursday 24th April
No cinema infomation at the moment
From: Friday 25th April
To: Thursday 1st May
Fri 15:40; Sun/Wed 17:10; Tue 14:40; Thu 11:30
Cineworld Aberdeen – Queens Link
Fri/Mon/Tue 16:20; Sat/Sun 19:45; Wed 17:00; Thu 12:00 14:50
Fri-Wed 13:30 (Fri/Sun-Wed) 20:10; Thu 12:50 15:40
Fri/Mon-Wed 10:50 13:40 16:40 19:40; Sat/Sun 16:50 (Sat) 19:40; Thu 11:00 14:00 17:00 19:50
Fri-Wed 20:00; Thu 15:40
Fri 16:30; Sat 17:10; Sun/Tue 12:00 (Tue) 17:00; Mon/Wed 12:00 17:20; Thu 12:20 15:20
Fri-Wed 14:10 (Fri/Mon-Wed) 20:00; Thu 14:40 20:10
Fri-Wed 13:30 (Fri/Mon-Wed) 20:10; Thu 12:50 15:40
Fri-Wed 13:10 (Fri/Mon-Wed) 19:15; Thu 19:30
Fri/Mon-Wed 13:00 19:20; Sat/Sun 12:50 19:20; Thu 13:30 19:15
Fri/Sun-Wed 14:20 (Fri/Mon-Wed) 20:15; Sat/Thu 14:10 (Thu) 17:00
Fri-Mon/Wed 11:40 (Fri/Mon/Wed) 19:40; Tue 11:40 19:10; Thu 13:20 16:20
Fri-Wed 14:20 (Fri/Mon-Wed) 20:00; Thu 13:50 16:40
Cineworld Glasgow – Renfrew Street
Fri/Sun 16:40; Sat/Tue 17:10; Mon/Wed/Thu 17:00
Fri-Tue 14:20 (Fri/Mon/Tue) 19:50; Wed 14:20 19:00; Thu 14:10 20:10
Fri 13:50 20:00; Sat 14:15 20:10; Sun-Wed 14:40 20:10; Thu 15:30
Fri/Sat 13:40 (Fri) 20:00; Sun-Tue 13:40 (Mon/Tue) 20:10; Wed 13:40 20:30; Thu 12:50 15:40
Fri-Wed 14:00 (Fri/Mon-Wed) 20:20; Thu 13:00 16:00 19:00
Fri-Wed 13:10 16:10 (Sat-Wed) 16:20 (Fri) 20:10; Thu 13:20 16:20 19:20
Fri 13:30 19:40; Sat 10:45 19:20; Sun-Wed 13:30 (Mon-Wed) 19:20; Thu 12:50 15:40 19:10
Fri/Mon-Wed 13:50 17:00 20:00; Sat/Sun 11:10 14:10 17:00 20:00
Fri-Wed 14:20 (Fri/Mon-Wed) 20:15; Thu 13:50 16:40
Fri/Sat/Mon-Wed 14:30 (Fri/Mon-Wed) 20:10; Sun 19:30
Fri/Mon/Tue 14:40; Sat 20:45; Sun 17:40; Wed 15:20
Fri 19:20; Sat/Sun 19:50; Mon/Tue/Thu 17:10; Wed 14:10 17:00
Fri 13:00; Sat/Sun 12:00; Mon/Thu 16:50 19:40 (Mon); Tue/Wed 16:40 19:20 (Tue)
Fri-Sun 11:20; Mon-Wed 13:10; Thu 13:30
Fri/Mon/Wed 17:10; Sat/Thu 14:50; Sun 15:40; Tue 19:50
Fri/Mon-Wed 14:00 19:00 (Mon/Tue); Sat/Sun 12:50; Thu 16:00
Fri/Sat 12:20; Sun-Wed 13:20
Fri 12:50; Sat 14:50; Sun 11:50; Mon-Wed 16:30; Thu 16:10
Odeon Luxe Glasgow Springfield Quay
Fri-Mon/Wed 16:20; Tue 15:00 17:50; Thu 16:00
Odeon Luxe Liverpool Switch Island
Fri/Mon-Wed 14:00; Sat 11:00; Sun 11:50; Thu 13:10
Odeon Manchester Great Northern
Sat/Sun 12:10; Mon-Wed 13:50; Thu 13:30
Fri/Sat/Mon 11:00; Sun 10:40; Tue/Wed 13:10; Thu 13:00
Fri 12:50; Sat/Sun 10:20; Mon-Wed 12:40; Thu 12:45
Fri/Sat/Mon/Wed 18:00; Sun 17:30; Tue 15:00; Thu 16:50
Fri-Sun 11:30; Mon-Wed 14:00
Fri-Wed 12:30; Thu 12:20
Fri 20:15; Sat 14:15; Sun 16:15; Mon 12:00; Tue 14:40; Wed 19:40; Thu 19:45
Fri/Sat/Mon/Wed 16:20 19:15; Sun/Tue/Thu 16:20 20:05
Scott Cinemas Bristol, Westbury Park
Fri/Sun-Wed 16:35 20:00; Sat 18:00 20:30; Thu 16:50 20:00
Fri-Sun 12:40 18:00; Mon-Wed 12:40 18:20
Fri-Wed 13:45
Showcase Cinema De Lux Glasgow
Fri 13:00 14:20; Sat/Sun 12:45; Mon 12:40 14:30; Tue 13:00 14:30; Wed 13:00 14:25; Thu 11:30 14:10 14:45
12:20 18:15
Showcase Cinema De Lux Paisley
Fri-Mon/Thu 18:45; Wed 19:10
Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough
Fri-Sun/Tue/Wed/Thu 12:30 (Fri/Tue/Wed) 15:35; Mon 12:30 15:40
Showcase Cinema De Lux Reading
Fri-Tue/Thu 15:45
Showcase Cinema De Lux Teesside
Fri 12:40; Sat/Sun 12:55; Mon-Wed 12:30
Fri-Sun/Thu 15:35; Mon-Wed 11:30 14:30 15:30 (Mon) 15:35 (Tue/Wed)
Vue Basingstoke Festival Place
Fri/Sun/Mon 11:45 16:00 (Mon); Sat 09:40; Tue 12:15 16:00; Wed 11:55 14:00; Thu 09:30 11:30
Fri 12:10; Sat 10:15 23:30; Sun 09:40 22:50; Mon 15:25; Tue 11:45 14:15 16:50; Wed 11:45 15:30; Thu 09:40 11:40 15:40
Sun 22:10; Mon 14:15; Tue 13:45; Wed 12:10; Thu 10:50
Fri 12:25; Sat 10:05; Sun 22:20; Mon 12:00 15:25; Tue 12:20 14:30; Wed 11:30 14:15 17:05; Thu 10:20 12:30
Fri 23:35; Sat 11:30; Mon 12:35; Tue 12:00; Wed 12:10 17:30; Thu 10:45
Fri 13:00; Sat/Thu 09:05 (Thu) 11:25; Sun 10:45; Mon 15:10; Tue 11:40 14:25; Wed 12:10 16:00
Fri 12:50; Sat 10:10 12:20; Sun 10:15; Mon 11:50 14:25 16:25; Tue 12:35 16:10; Wed 12:20 15:25; Thu 10:45 14:30
Fri 13:10; Sat 23:25; Sun 23:10; Mon 12:40; Tue 11:45; Wed 14:55; Thu 00:20
Fri 12:30; Sat/Sun 10:10; Mon 11:45; Tue 11:55 15:15; Wed 12:10 14:10; Thu 10:15 13:25 16:25
Fri/Wed 12:30 16:00 (Wed); Sat 22:45; Sun 11:15; Mon 11:30 14:15; Tue 12:00 14:05 16:10; Thu 10:25 12:40 14:40
Fri 10:35; Sat 09:20 22:05; Sun 22:20; Mon 12:25; Tue 12:05 15:30; Wed 12:45 16:45; Thu 10:25 12:25 15:10
Fri 12:20; Sat 09:45; Mon 14:30; Tue/Wed 12:15 14:30 (Tue) 17:15; Thu 10:00 12:30
Fri 00:10; Sat 23:45; Sun 22:55; Mon 12:55; Tue 12:35 15:30; Wed 12:45; Thu 11:20
Fri 00:00; Sat 23:35; Mon 13:00 15:40; Tue 12:35 15:30; Wed 15:00; Thu 09:40 11:45
Fri 12:25; Sat 10:50; Sun 23:30; Mon 12:40 15:15; Tue 12:05 14:45 16:55; Wed 11:45 15:25; Thu 10:05 12:15
Fri 12:40; Sat 22:35; Sun 23:15; Mon/Thu 10:15 (Thu) 14:20; Tue 14:45; Wed 12:10 14:20
Fri 10:50; Sat 10:15; Sun 12:00; Mon 16:50; Tue 17:25; Wed 17:20; Thu 09:45 13:25
Fri 15:15; Sat 09:40 22:20; Sun 09:35 21:20
Fri 14:15; Sat 23:50; Sun 21:45; Mon 18:10; Tue 17:40; Wed 21:50; Thu 10:15 12:15
Fri 00:25; Sat 10:45; Sun 10:00; Mon 13:05; Tue 17:05; Wed 15:25; Thu 09:00 11:10
Fri 12:30; Sat 10:10; Mon 15:20; Tue 14:15; Wed 12:55; Thu 09:45 11:50
