Warm, Witty and Wise! The Friend featuring Naomi Watts, Bill Murray, and a black splotched Great Dane with drooping eyes called Apollo. David Siegel and Scott McGehee develop a mild interpretation of Sigrid Nunez’s National Book Award winning 2018 novel about grief’s subtle emotional place.
Watts plays Iris, a stagnated writer and professor unable to make sense of the recent suicide of her mentor and best friend Walter played by Bill Murray. His few scenes at the beginning of the movie give us a chance to miss him too.
Walter is a womanizer who considers it a personal point of pride that after sleeping once with Iris, they remain close. Walter leaves behind many mourners, admirers, colleagues, a grown daughter (Sarah Pidgeon) from an affair, a couple of exes (Carla Gugino, Constance Wu), and a third and final wife (Noma Dumezweni).
The wife informs Iris that it was Walter’s wish that she take care of his pony-size Great Dane companion, Apollo.
“The Friend” strips the pet-movie genre, bringing it closer to what an on-going dialogue between two lonely species stumbling into a connection. Iris suddenly finds her rent controlled shoebox of an apartment taken over by a bed-hogging, furniture-destroying roommate whose very presence might get her evicted.
In this film Naomi Watts is appealingly delicate and the dog is terrific! Siegel and McGehee know the heart of their movie is in what Iris and Apollo create.
Near the end of the film you experience an emotional scene. Then all of a sudden Apollo opens his eyes, looks at Iris, and all is well.
Definitely a 5 star movie. Go now and enjoy The Friend.
