'Friendship': Tim Robinson Wants to be Paul Rudd's Pal in Hilarious, Awkward Comedy

PHOTO: A24

In the years since his one season stint as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, Tim Robinson has slowly become a pretty big name in comedy. He remained on SNL as a writer for a few seasons before co-creating and starring in the wildly underrated series Detroiters for Comedy Central. But what truly helped him ascend to a new level of success is his sketch comedy show I Think You Should Leave. The series often delves into cringe comedy, featuring awkward social interactions and Robinson’s unique brand of humor. A prime example is the sketch titled “Ghost Tour”, in which Robinson plays a character who goes a little too far after being told he can say whatever he wants while on a late night ghost tour. It is this specific comedic style that he is so gifted at that makes him perfect for the lead role in Friendship, the debut feature from Andrew DeYoung. The film’s examination of male friendship and the lengths one man will go to in order to find some sort of companionship is as hilarious as it is discomforting. The film’s dark sense of humor and odd tone makes it a bit of a balancing act,  but one that DeYoung pulls off well. Friendship is a prime starring vehicle for Tim Robinson that had me laughing and cringing all throughout, and is easily the best comedy of the year thus far.

Craig (Tim Robinson) is a pretty average guy. He lives in the suburbs with his wife Tami (Kate Mara) and his son Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer), and works for a marketing company. After receiving a package meant for someone else, he returns it to the rightful owner. The package belongs to his new neighbor, local TV weatherman Austin Carmichael (Paul Rudd). Craig is immediately fascinated with Austin and is drawn in by his charismatic nature. The two begin to hang out, but an awkward incident leads Austin to ice Craig out. This leads to a series of events that cause both of their lives to unravel as Craig tries desperately to regain his friendship.

The main thing that stuck out to me while watching this film is how perfectly cast it is. It is possible that this film could have been made with other actors in the lead roles, but the casting of Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd is spot-on. On paper, the film’s cringe factor is pretty strong, but Robinson masterfully filters it through his distinct style and mannerisms. Rudd works his charm for much of the film, and acts as a great foil to Robinson’s Craig. The two are such a good pair and I can’t imagine anyone else in these two roles. They both are playing to their strengths here, with Robinson nailing the more awkward moments and Rudd oozing charm throughout much of his performance. 

Admittedly, Robinson is kind of doing his usual schtick, but it still feels fresh. Sure, he’s yelling and being ridiculous at many times throughout the film, but there is an honesty to his performance that grounds him in reality a bit. In some ways, the film feels like a feature-length I Think You Should Leave sketch, with Robinson playing a somewhat modified version of the characters that he normally plays. What really impressed me is that the character isn’t exactly the most likable guy, yet he is rather compelling to watch. He is often unpleasant, and makes many questionable decisions throughout the film, but I couldn’t help but wonder how everything was going to turn out for him or what weird situation he was going to get himself into next. It is the type of performance that might not work in another actor’s hands, but Robinson threads the needle just right and is excellent every step of the way.

Paul Rudd’s involvement in this film is interesting considering that he previously starred in 2009’s I Love You, Man, in which he plays a guy trying to find a friend to be the Best Man at his wedding. While that film is more of a standard studio comedy and Friendship is more of a dark comedy, there are some slight similarities between the two films. However, Rudd gets the chance to be on the other side of things this time around, and gets to be the effortlessly charming and confident one. Considering that Rudd himself is rather charming and affable, this isn’t a hard sell for him, and it is instantly clear why Robinson’s character is so enamored by him from the jump. However, he isn’t just a one-dimensional character, and we see that he has some insecurities as the film goes on. We see his cool guy facade slip a little at times, which makes him more interesting. Rudd is a very adaptable actor, and the film lets him play both high-status and low-status at various points. Rudd plays both superbly and nicely complements the wild energy that Robinson brings. The film gets the alchemy of Craig and Austin’s relationship just right, and so much of this stems from the casting of Robinson and Rudd. The two are so good all throughout the film, and are well-suited to the specific tone the film is going for. 

I also need to shout out Kate Mara and Jack Dylan Grazer, both of whom have smaller roles in the film, but are still quite good. Mara plays more of a serious character here, but the fact that she’s playing things straight works really well in the context of the movie. This approach yields one of the film’s biggest laugh lines, which Mara delivers wonderfully. Grazer only shows up intermittently, but I really loved the contrast between the relationships he has with Mara and Robinson. The character is a bit one-dimensional, but Grazer adds a little personality to it and is quite good throughout. He plays off of Mara and Robinson very well, and makes the most of the role. One of the best performances of the film, however, comes from Connor O’Malley, who is now 3-for-3 when it comes to scene-stealing turns in A24 films. It’s a minor role, but he had me laughing every time he showed up. The bulk of his performance takes place in a scene between him and Robinson, where the two are simply electric together. This isn’t a big surprise considering that they have collaborated several times over the years, but it is still a highlight of the film nonetheless. 

Writer/director Andrew DeYoung does a great job balancing the darker elements of the film with humor, and shows that he is quite adept when it comes to cringe comedy. What impressed me the most, however, is how well he subverts audience expectations. There are some turns in this film that genuinely surprised me, and a few of the film’s big laughs come from some inventive choices made by DeYoung. Chief among these is a drug trip scene that takes place late in the film that doesn’t go in the typical direction you might expect it to. The film’s humor might not be for anyone, but you have to give it some credit for not playing things safe and being predictable. I wouldn’t say that DeYoung is reinventing the wheel here, but he makes some choices that pay off beautifully and makes something that stands apart from your average comedy. He shows great promise as a filmmaker, and I am very curious to see what he does next.

Friendship is tailor-made for fans of Tim Robinson and serves as a good entry point for those who are unfamiliar with him and his work. Although, a lot of credit for this film working as well as it does goes to Andrew DeYoung, who delivers one of the strongest film debuts of the past several years. Those who are averse to cringe comedy should maybe skip this one, but I personally really liked it. I would be surprised if any other film in 2025 makes me laugh as much as this film did, and it is easily among my favorites of the year so far. It is rather uncomfortable to watch at times, but it adds to the overall film and makes it a highly memorable and often funny experience all the same.

Rating: 4/5