Movie: Friendship (2025)
Production Companies: Fifth Season, BoulderLight Pictures
Distributed by: A24
Producers: Raphael Margules, J. D. Lifshitz, Johnny Holland, Nick Weidenfeld
Directed by: Andrew DeYoung
Written by: Andrew DeYoung
Starring: Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara
Review by: Stefano Todaro

Let’s cut to the chase. Does Tim Robinson’s style of comedy work in a feature-length film? Yes. Is Friendship more than just an extended skit from his wildly popular show, I Think You Should Leave? Yes. Is it one of the funniest movies of the decade? Yes.

While it’s technically not Tim Robinson’s film debut, we can safely say that Friendship is his debut as a lead on the big screen. His skit-based and cringe-style comedy has blown up in recent years and months, with people often seeing him show up on TikTok and Instagram. Comments are filled with “What is this from?” “Who is this?” and “What the hell did I just watch?” Social media has been a lot of people’s introduction to Tim Robinson, but his comedy prowess has been years in the making. From his time writing and acting on SNL to his outstanding sitcom Detroiters, Tim Robinson has become one of America’s most unique comedians. Most clips people scroll through on social media are from his now hit show, I Think You Should Leave, which released its third season in 2023. The first season was released to very little fanfare, and the popularity grew through word of mouth and internet clips. With how outlandish Robinson’s work is, there were justified concerns about seeing his brand of humor in a movie.

Friendship takes a shot at tackling the concept of male loneliness and “bromances.” Are Millennial and middle-aged men really that lonely? And how do these lonely men approach making friends? John Hamburg’s I Love You, Man approached this topic, albeit in a more optimistic and storybook way. In some sort of twisted turn of events, Paul Rudd was the one seeking admiration from a potential male friend in I Love You, Man, but Rudd becomes the desirable one in Friendship. This casting and role reversal was certainly no accident.

Tim Robinson plays Craig, a run-of-the-mill suburban dad who works a white collar job that nobody quite understands. For what it’s worth, Craig is only “run-of-the-mill” on the surface. This is a Tim Robinson character we’re talking about, and that means that whatever madness is going on in his head is also out on display for the world to see and hear. His life changes when a package is incorrectly delivered to his home. The package belongs to his new neighbor, Austin, played by the always charming Paul Rudd. Craig is immediately seduced by Austin’s coolness and knows in his heart that this is somebody he wants to be friends with. Austin IS a local weatherman for goodness’ sake. In no time, Craig is invited to have a drink with Austin at his place. With some pressure from Craig’s wife, Tami (played by Kate Mara), Craig agrees to see what this night of potential male friendship might have in store.

After a successful hang at Austin’s, the two new buddies become thick as thieves. Sharing ideas, talking about hobbies, and even exploring the local sewer system, the two are inseparable. Austin decides to take their relationship to the next level and invites Craig to a hang session with some of his guy friends. An evening of sipping beers, singing in circles, and garage boxing ensues. Unfortunately for Craig, he’s not able to overcome his inability to understand basic human and social norms, his obsession with being accepted, and his male rage. A once-beautiful bromance quickly crumbles under the weight of Craig’s and Austin’s shared narcissism.

What makes DeYoung’s romp work so well is tenfold. First and foremost, it’s one of the most hilarious films I’ve seen in quite a long time. It’s so funny, I’m already trying to find room for it in my pantheon of comedies. Recency bias is certainly something to consider, but it’s also important to consider that of the over 200 film releases I watched in 2023, 2024, and so far in 2025, only around five of them were true comedies. That’s not to say I didn’t have reasons to laugh at the movie theater, but so many funny films are drama, sci-fi, and action flicks that include comedic elements; they aren’t true comedy genre films. Mickey 17 was a hilarious film from this year, but I’d be hard pressed to call it a comedy.

The slick camerawork, editing, and color grading are also something to applaud. One of the film’s best bits is how serious it all looks. By no means does it look or feel like a traditional comedy; it’s put together with elements you’d see in a self-serious drama or an HBO Max release. It’s enjoyable to watch for its formal successes, but the juxtaposition of lovely cinematography and framing with Tim Robinson carefully walking down a hallway with an overfilled mug he filled himself is comedic genius. There are even some moments in Friendship that push us into hot and heavy thriller territory because of the quick editing and camera movements. With that being said, it’s always done for the bit, and the goal of “true comedy” is never abandoned. There are very few things in comedy right now funnier than a quick cut to Tim Robinson’s goofy face.

Friendship is a cleverly scripted and structured film, and the script and structure are so crucial to its ability to sustain laughter from start to finish. There are no moments of dragging to force more plot, there are no jokes that don’t work within the world of the film, and there are certainly no cast members who didn’t buy in. I’ve given so much praise to Robinson, but it’s important to note that Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer, and the entire supporting cast of side characters understood the assignment. Everybody perfectly belonged in DeYoung’s version of “real life.” For a movie so full of jokes and side characters, it’s easy to fall into lame joke fatigue. A lot of modern comedy falls back on jokes you often see in many of today’s Marvel films (or, as they are referred to in the film, “A Marvel”). I’m talking about those punchy one-line burns. Quippy one-liners can be effective in rare cases, but trying to make those a main source of comedy is utterly depressing and lazy. The humor and dialogue DeYoung brings to Friendship is a perfect continuation of the writing we see in Tim Robinson’s Detroiters and I Think You Should Leave, with maybe a little more restraint. It made for some genuinely intriguing storytelling and some of the funniest on-screen line readings and moments I’ve seen in years.

Paul DeYoung’s Friendship isn’t a film for everybody. It is undoubtedly a film for Tim Robinson fans, and it’s also a film for comedy fans. I’m talking about viewers who appreciate the art form of comedy and appreciate some of the genius that goes into joke delivery and set up. With all of that considered, if you don’t find Friendship funny, then maybe your eyes and ears were shut. Sure, it can feel niche, but any casual moviegoer should find moments to love in Friendship. We had our years of Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, and Ben Stiller comedies, we made it through overly long Judd Apatow comedies in the mid-2000s through the 2010s, but maybe it’s time for Tim Robinson and this form of comedy to take center stage at the movies.

9.4/10

By: Stefano Todaro