David Siegel and Scott McGehee (Bee Season, Montana Story) write and direct a heartwarming and touching story. Their work tackles several challenging emotions that many of us have gone through from the loss of a loved one, either by natural causes or by their hand. Suicide is not easy to process or get through, and as we know, grief is very different for everyone. The cast is great together, but Bill Murray and Naomi Watts have memorable scenes worth seeing at the cinema.
The filmmakers adapted “The Friend,” a novel by Sigrid Nunez for the feature film. In December, before the holidays, the film shows Walter (Bill Murray) finding Apollo, the dog, while on his morning run. Assuming he has been abandoned, Walter takes him to his home. Iris (Naomi Watts) is also a writer, teaches, and was a former student of Walter’s who is now working on a book, along with Walter’s only child, Val (Sarah Pidgeon). Before long, they learn that Walter has passed away. The funeral and reception are how the audience knows that Walter is survived by his current wife (Noma Dumezweni) as well as “wife number one” Elaine (Carla Gugino), and Tuesday (Constance Wu) was his second wife. Everyone seems to know Iris, and they all know each other, so it is no surprise that they all gather to spread his ashes.
Walter’s dog, Apollo, is a giant Great Dane who is left behind with Barbara (the current wife), and she does not want him. Despite knowing that Iris lives in a tiny Manhattan apartment, she tells Iris that Walter said Iris would be the one who would know what to do with Apollo. Highly reluctant, Naomi takes him to be a temporary caretaker. Despite all her responsibilities, we see in the story that the relationship that develops between caretaker and dog is anything but temporary.
Iris knows the building policies, but her kind building supervisor, Hektor (Felix Solis, Ozark, and The Rookie: Feds TV series), reminds her of how strict the higher-ups are. There are multiple scenes of her urgency to act so Apollo has another living situation, but Iris finds herself not wanting to do so. All the emotions in each scene spell that out loud and clear.
Toward the end of the movie, Iris thinks she has found a way to keep Apollo and, in doing so, finds what she also needs. She is led to have a “conversation” with Walter to address some of the issues. Their scenes are powerful and very moving.
The Friend premiered at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival and screened at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. It opens in Austin theaters on Friday, April 4, 2025.
Source: Bleecker Street