The Friend (#671)


Got to the theater Friday to see this film, but the myriad of service trucks parked at the curb suggested problems. It was closed because of a burst pipe. It was open yesterday, with crowds of people, and I saw my best movie of the year, believe it or not. I actually liked THE FRIEND, this 2 hour drama, which starred Naomi Watts snd Bill Murray, the latter not one of my favorites. Bill only appeared for about 10 minutes in the film but he and Naomi did a more than credible job in what I considered a drama with a warm love story. He is her close friend and former teacher and mentor. Both are writers. He commits suicide, and she learns he has left in her charge his dog, a larger than life Great Dane whom she reluctantly takes into her small, rent-controlled NYC apartment where dogs are not allowed. The dog, Apollo, commanders her bed and at one point, trashes the apartment, and she desperately tries to overcome the restriction against dogs. As we follow her travails mostly through narration, with brief flashbacks of Murray and their relationship, we learn much about her. She is facing eviction and has a sympathetic but powerless superintendent.  It is well acted, directed and produced, with a couple of surprises along the way as she begins to bond with and abide Apollo. 86% of critics agreed with me in giving it a thumbs up; 86% of audiences followed suit. I noted there's another race car movie coming up, with Brad Pitt. Also there are at least three movies playing only at night which means I cannot and will not see—Freaky Tales, Screamboat, and The Luckiest Man in America.  


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