The Friend

Watched the Friend at NYFF among an appreciative and applauding crowd. It is a multi dimensional story of grief where we don't know whether the human is supporting the animal ot is it vice versa.

We try to understand Walter's character thru interactions of his near and dear ones. Iris is a complicated character poignantly played by Naomi Watts.

But at the end it is Apollo who helps everyone find their way in life.

The backdrop of NYC where the story is based also shot was amazing. It has its own character as Iris and Apollo go thru their daily life among the teeming millions.

Finally a great shoutout to the dog playing Apollo. One of the beat animal acted movies.

I am a big fan of Naomi Watts as an actress from films like "Mulholland Drive" and "King Kong". And I think she should have won the Oscar for Best Actress for "21 Grams" back in 2003.

I am also a fan of Bill Murray as an actor from films like "Broken Flowers", "Ghostbusters", "Scrooged" and "Quick Change". And I think that he should have won the Oscar for Best Actor for "Lost in Translation".

Now they are both in a new little independent movie called "The Friend". It is a heartwarming drama about a man who commits suicide and leaves behind a dog, a great Dane for his best friend to take care of now that he is gone.

The man who commits suicide is played by Bill Murray in a supporting role and his best friend is played by Naomi Watts, who is the main character.

I thought the movie was very good and beautifully acted by Naomi Watts and Bill Murray. Also with a good supporting performance from Carla Gugino.

The movie is very enjoyable and involving and a good time at the movies. I am glad that I saw this film. I recommend this movie, especially for animal lovers.

I really enjoy Noma Dumezweni in everything I've seen her in, and she was just as great here. The cast overall was surprisingly stacked-so many recognizable faces, and I kept having those "Oh hey, it's that person from..." moments. Everyone delivered strong performances, even the Great Dane.

We learn a lot about Bill Murray's character through the dog. Choosing a Great Dane was a smart move, there's something about that breed's presence that made the conversations around Walter and who he left the dog to feel more substantial. I don't think those same scenes would've hit as hard if it had been, say, a small poodle.

I'm not a huge dog person, so I imagine dog lovers might connect with this more. That said, I liked that the film didn't lean too heavily into sadness, despite being about grief it didn't feel too mopey. Still, I didn't feel particularly moved by it. Emotionally, it didn't hit me, but I thought it was fine overall. It's not just a story about a dog; it's also a quiet reflection on friendship, loss, and how people cope. The first half has some genuinely funny moments too.

The pacing is slow, and it doesn't really build to a traditional climax. It just sort of ends in a way that feels... fine. Not underwhelming, just gently satisfying.

During the Q&A, it was fun hearing the director talk about what it was like working with a Great Dane. I wish I had gotten to see the dog myself, but apparently, it's still adjusting. Maybe the folks attending tonight's or the Saturday Q&A will get lucky, would've been cool to see just how big it really is in person.

A classic definition of a "guy flick" is one in which many people die very rapidly - the corresponding definition of a "chick flick" is one in which one person dies very slowly. "The Friend" is a variation on the latter theme in which a major character (Murray) dies at the outset of the film, and most of two hours is spent depicting how his widow, his ex, his daughter, his dog, and his best friend/protégé/ex lover (Watts) and the dog Apollo (a gigantic Great Dane) slowly come to terms with that death. The production values are excellent. The acting is magnificent. The pacing is tedious. Seeing it once was more than enough.

I snuck into this film and had a good time with about 18 people. The best thing about it was enjoying all the NYC locations and identifying all the local actors. Bill Murray is Walter, a successful author with three ex wives. He dies early on and his latest wife Barbara (Noma Dumezweni) insists on dumping his hulking 150 pound harlequin Great Dane, Apollo, to college professor and former fling Iris (Naomi Watts). Of course this is an insane notion as she is in a rent controlled apartment inherited from her father. So we see her looking up states that accept such beasts. Nothing ever clicks. Guess what happens? It's a lovely film with great music, ending with "I'll Take Manhattan" at the closing credits. The repeated views of our bridges are breathtaking, as is always the case when they appear on film. After reading an article about the dog and all the training it took to get him camera ready, I had to see the film and purposely hung around for the one screening my multiplex had. I saw two people I knew in a scene. Ann Dowd is on hand as the sympathetic neighbor that Iris pals around with, further soaking up the running time. This is a two hour film that feels like two and a half. So much could have been cut. The sympathetic building super Hektor (Felix Solis) is way too featured, which is annoying. I do love the gorgeous Carla Gugino and Constance Wu as the discarded wives. Watts is fine and mostly wears nerdy clothing to indicate her studious nerd personality. Sarah Pigeon is okay as Walther's daughter Val. It's a cute fim, just a little long for what it is. False endings abound, and we get a completely bogus health scare for Apollo thrown in because the filmmakers think audiences are stupid and naive.