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Friendship
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray A - America - A24 Review written by and copyright: Noor Razzak (21st September 2025). |
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The Film
 "Friendship" written and directed by Andrew DeYoung marks his feature film debut with a deceptively simple film that evolves into one of the year’s most cutting explorations of human connection. Directed with a mixture of restraint and offbeat humor, it manages to straddle the line between quirky comedy and poignant character study. At its heart, the film is less about plot than it is about the messy negotiations of intimacy, aging, loyalty, but mostly the male loneliness epidemic. Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson carry the film. What begins as a casual yet quick bond develops into something stranger, as both men confront the gaps between who they were and who they’ve become. While the premise could have lent itself to predictable buddy-comedy territory, "Friendship" instead embraces discomfort, awkward silences, and sharp tonal shifts, making the experience feel both raw and oddly universal. Tim Robinson’s performance as Craig is a fascinating balancing act between his trademark absurdist humor and a surprising dramatic weight. Known primarily for his sketch comedy work, Robinson initially injects the film with bursts of out there energy—his nervous tics, half-mumbled asides, and sudden outbursts keep scenes teetering on the edge of comedy. Yet as the story unfolds, he reveals a quieter, more vulnerable side that feels startlingly genuine. Rather than undercutting the film’s emotional core, his comedic instincts make the heavier moments land harder; when his character drops the humor and lets the silence sit, it feels earned. Robinson emerges as the film’s wild card—unsettling, hilarious, and unexpectedly moving. Additionally, Paul Rudd as Austin the recently moved in neighbor and local TV weatherman gives one of his most nuanced performances in years. Known for his effortless charm, Rudd here leans into vulnerability, exposing cracks beneath the likeable exterior. There are moments where his restraint speaks louder than dialogue, making his character’s quiet desperation feel deeply lived-in. Perfectly contrasting Robinson, who thrives in his off-kilter delivery, injecting bursts of surreal humor into the film’s heavier beats. The clash of their energies—Rudd’s grounded melancholy and Robinson’s nervous absurdity—creates a dynamic that feels authentic and unpredictable. The supporting cast rounds out the film with understated grace, especially that of Craig's wife Tami (Kate Mara). Their roles, though smaller, echo the central theme: that friendship is rarely clean, rarely balanced, and never immune to change. The Andy Rydzewski's cinematography reinforces this idea—framed in intimate close-ups and long, static shots that refuse to let the audience look away from awkward truths. The muted color palette, too, complements the film’s quiet ache, while the score adds a fragile tenderness without overwhelming the narrative. If there’s a critique to be made, it’s that the film occasionally indulges in its own discomfort to the point of dragging. Some viewers may find the pacing deliberate to a fault. Yet these stretches of unease are also what make the film linger long after it ends. It’s not a work that offers easy catharsis; instead, it asks its audience to sit with the contradictions that define real relationships. Ultimately, "Friendship" is a standout entry in A24’s catalogue—funny, painful, and deeply human. It captures the awkward miracle of two people trying, and often failing, to truly understand one another, while suggesting that the effort itself is what keeps us tethered.
Video
Presented in the film's original theatrical ratio of 1.66:1 mastered in HD 1080p 24/fps and using AVC MPEG-4 compression, this digitally shot film looks good in HD. The presentation is sharp, the colors are well represented and muted as per the intended look of the film, skin tones appear natural, black levels are deep. Overall this is a solid transfer that could only be improved with a 4K upgrade.
Audio
Two audio tracks are included in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround and English Audio Descriptive Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo. I chose to view the film with its 5.1 audio. The track is perfectly balanced, dialogue is clean and clear, surround channels work with subtle effect, with the score and music taking up the majority of the surround channels. Overall for a comedy this track is perfectly serviceable. Optional subtitles are included in English for the hearing impaired.
Extras
A24 has included a handful of extras, below is a closer look at these supplements. First up we have a feature-length audio commentary with writer/director Andrew DeYoung, director of photography Andy Rydzewski and actor Conner O'Malley. This is an. enjoyable track with the participants talking about the making of the film, the process of writing it, shooting it. and working with the actors, there's some fun moments here as they chat about the film's themes and comedy style. Conner O'Malley extended garage scene (12:21), one of the stand out scenes is the moment with O'Malley's character Patton confronts Craig in his garage, this is a much longer version of that scene. While interesting, you can see why it was cut down. A selection of deleted scenes is included (8:32), there are four scenes here. "Men Talking in the Dark" is an extended Q&A (18:46), the participants include writer/director Andrew DeYoung, and actors Eric Rahill, Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson as they answer questions about the film and its production. Included in the package is a set of 6 postcards.
Packaging
Packaged in a cardboard slip-case.
Overall
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