New York City. Iris, a writer, is surprised when she is informed that, following the suicide of her mentor and ex-lover Walter, she is assigned to take care of his giant Great Dane dog, Apollo. Iris is stressed because her superintendent doesn't allow dogs in her apartment, so she wants to get rid of him, but nobody is ready to adopt the dog. Walter's daughter Val helps her out. Iris decides to drive Apollo to Michigan dog shelter, but then changes her mind and decides to register it as an emotional support animal. Upon the advice of a psychologist, she writes a story where she confronts Walter about his suicide, scolding him for not talking it through with others. Iris stays at Walter's Long Island beach house for the summer with Apollo.
Based on the eponymous novel by Sigrid Nunez, "The Friend" is a peculiar film contemplation about suicide, accepting loss and processing emotional turmoil in the allegorical depiction of the heroine Iris taking care of a big dog. It has several jokes based on suicide, ranging from Samuel Beckett's quote: "The day you die is just like any other, only shorter", up to something a character who committed suicide, Walter (Bill Murray), said: "The more suicidal people there are, the less suicidal people there are." Nonetheless, except for that, "The Friend" is surprisingly measured, respectful and emotionally honest, showing the aftermath of friends of someone perpetrating suicide. Still, the film doesn't have that much of an inspiration, creative lift-offs or ingenuity to justify this complex concept. It is too light and thin, but it once again confirms that Naomi Watts is an excellent actress who is able to carry a film and make something more out of it: the highlight is definitely her emotional reaction in front of the psychologist in the finale, where she processes her own grief and makes her own closure by writing a story where she confronts the dead Walter about why he perpetrated suicide. It is not clear if she had a more romantic or formal admiration towards Walter, which leaves the writing lacking. Still, the dog, Bing, is amusing: he first starts out as a nuisance and troublemaker sleeping on her bed, but then she realizes he is also in grief, and thus becomes a comfort for her.
Grade:++
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