The Friend (2024 | USA | 120 minutes | Scott McGehee & David Siegel)
We’ve all been there; we can watch countless humans die in films without batting an eye, but the moment a dog dies, the tears start streaming. Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s The Friend offers a fresh take on the classic dog movie, where instead of a human grappling with the death of a dog, we see a dog facing the loss of his human.
The Friend is a heartbreaking exploration of grief through the unique lens of a Great Dane, Apollo (played by Bing, arguably delivering the best performance by any animal in film), who is left confused and abandoned after his owner, Walter (Bill Murray), unexpectedly takes his own life. What sets this film apart from many other dog movies is that Apollo is not anthropomorphized through internal dialogue, gimmicky CGI, or even the illusion that he understands English. He is simply a regular dog experiencing the loss of his master, and in the words of Walter’s widow (Noma Dumezweni), “How do you explain death to a dog?”
Apollo is shuffled from place to place, passed between strangers, never knowing what happened to his owner. He must deal with his grief alone, unable to communicate with the humans around him. It’s utterly heartbreaking to witness this regal dog wallow in sorrow. Bing’s performance as a depressed Apollo is far sadder than even the worst of animal movie endings (think Old Yeller or Marley & Me).
Iris (Naomi Watts), the human at the center of this story, is a cat person—not a 150-lb dog person. But for better or worse, she is stuck with Apollo—per Walter’s wishes—as they both navigate their grief alone but side by side.
Iris is Walter’s best friend, a creative writing professor and novelist-turned-editor for Walter. After his death, she is left to reconcile Walter’s complicated life with his larger-than-life legacy. As she struggles to care for Apollo in her tiny Greenwich Village apartment with a staunch no-dogs policy, she is forced to confront the feelings she’s been suppressing about Walter.
The film doesn’t spell it out for us; we’re left to piece together the story through flashbacks and writings, doing our best to understand the relationship between Iris and Walter. She can’t count herself among the “surviving divorced wives” or grieving girlfriends; she has been his best friend since his first marriage and perhaps struggles with never being elevated to the status of wife. Yet, her bond with him is so much deeper and more intimate than almost anyone else in his life.
Walter doesn’t get as much screen time as the trailer suggests, but McGehee and Siegel capitalize on Murray’s casting to create a literary giant who comes across as both a believable mastermind and a relatable best friend. This character likely would not have translated as well with anyone other than Murray. With this casting choice, the filmmakers can dedicate more time to Iris and Apollo, two characters who dominate the screen through their understated performances.
Naomi Watts delivers an outstanding performance, spending much of the film alone or with only Bing to interact with, but you’ll never be reminded of this for a single minute due to the authenticity she brings.
The Friend is one of the best films about grief I have seen in a long time, delicately addressing the complex feelings surrounding death and suicide in a way that feels both universal and deeply personal. You’ll leave wanting to hug your best friend and your dog (or every dog you pass on the street), left with an appreciation for those around you who have chosen to share their lives with you.
The Friend arrives in Seattle theaters on April 4th
Image courtesy Bleecker Street.