“Friendship” Review: A Goofy, Surreal Take on Male Bonding and Emotional Avoidance

Andrew DeYoung’s Directorial Debut Channels Tim Robinson’s Unhinged Charm

In his feature debut, director Andrew DeYoung delivers a bizarre yet oddly resonant comedy, Friendship, starring cult sketch comedian Tim Robinson alongside Paul Rudd. The film, steeped in goofy surrealism, may polarize viewers as strongly as a “Vimto-Marmite cocktail”—you’ll either love its absurdity or be completely baffled.

A Shaggy-Dog Story of Social Awkwardness

At its core, Friendship plays with the premise of male loneliness and the strange difficulty grown men face when trying to form new friendships. What begins as a grounded indie tale about suburban alienation quickly spirals into stoner absurdity, with a storyline that deliberately avoids resolution in favor of highlighting the avoidant emotional habits of men.

Tim Robinson’s Craig: The Lovable Beta Male

Robinson plays Craig, a bland but well-intentioned corporate PR drone living with his flower-delivery-entrepreneur wife Tami (played by Kate Mara) in a cookie-cutter suburb. Tami, in remission from cancer, appears to be seeking deeper emotional connection elsewhere—possibly rekindling something with an old flame—while Craig blunders through each day in a haze of emotional denial and awkward cheerfulness.

One of the most painfully funny scenes takes place at a cancer support group, where Craig earnestly proclaims that there’s “no way the cancer is coming back,” in what is clearly a tone-deaf attempt at optimism. The moment strikes a familiar, cringey chord with anyone who’s ever tried to “fix” emotions with forced positivity.

Influences and Comic Tone: Hosking Meets Kaufman

Stylistically, Friendship recalls the darkly eccentric work of filmmakers like Jim Hosking (The Greasy Strangler) and Todd Solondz, sprinkled with hints of Charlie Kaufman’s cerebral weirdness and the dry-office alienation of Ricky Gervais or Steve Carell’s The Office personas.

There’s even an odd, hypnotic energy in scenes where two grown men in puffer jackets solemnly study a mushroom in the woods—perfectly encapsulating the film’s off-kilter tone.

A Satirical Look at Emotional Incompetence

While Friendship may feel like a slow descent into stoner nonsense, it arguably mirrors the emotional stagnation of its characters. The film becomes a sort of satirical metaphor—a tragicomic study in how men, conditioned by culture to remain emotionally reserved, replace vulnerability with quirky diversions and awkward bonding rituals.

Final Thoughts: Love It or Leave It

Friendship is weird, wistful, and often hilarious, but its tone and narrative structure may not be for everyone. Audiences seeking a clear plot or tidy resolution may leave frustrated. But for those attuned to its strange wavelength, DeYoung’s debut is a refreshing, if uncomfortable, exploration of masculine emotional dysfunction—told through surreal comedy and squirm-inducing honesty.