This dog deserves a treat, and so does Naomi Watts.
In this latest feature from writers/directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel, there’s a chemistry between a writer dealing with a tragedy in her life and a giant Great Dane whom she must take care of. How complicated would their relationship be? Well, few things. One: the writer is trying to finish her book. Two: she doesn’t know how to train him properly. And three: her apartment is not pet friendly.
I remember seeing and enjoying a mismatched relationship between a soldier and a dog in “Dog” a few years ago, and therefore, even humans and canines can follow a tradition of two characters who don’t like each other, but learn to connect in the end. There must be a delicate balance between the two species that needs time develop. “The Friend,” which I saw with my cousins a few weeks ago at the Boulder International Film Festival, is another entertaining example.
Based on Sigrid Nunez’s novel, Naomi Watts plays that writer named Iris, whose best friend and mentor-the celebrated author Walter (Bill Murray)-commits suicide, and is informed by one of his widows, Barbara (Noma Dumezweni), that she must take care of his dog named Apollo. She is conflicted about being his guardian, given her circumstances, but she must take care of him until she can find a better living situation for him. And a kennel is not really an ideal choice, based on the dog’s emotions.
This dog misses Walter so much, that only spoken words of his work and his shirt seem to motivate him. Even finally eating food out of his dog bowl. And Iris’ challenges of finding him a new home becomes so complicated, that she’s threatened with eviction in her apartment. And you know how pricy apartments are, and how not every place is dog friendly.
We also have Carla Gugino and Constance Wu as two more of Walter’s spouses Elaine and Tuesday; Sarah Pidgeon as his only daughter Val, whom Iris sparks a friendship with; Owen Teague (who worked with McGehee and Siegel on “Montana Story”) as a sexist student of Iris’; Josh Pais as her editor, who wants her book to be finished soon; and the dog Apollo is played by Bing, who has proven himself to be a fine canine actor.
The minute the audience saw that giant Great Dane, they were laughing, and so was I. There’s a certain kind of honesty in this dog and his new owner, and there’s a lot of heart within this relationship. Watts delivers a fine performance as her character deals with the challenges of it all, including how her mentor’s death has affected her greatly. Murray is also funny, even after his character’s death, and Pidgeon is also charming with her deadpan attitude. And their respective scenes with Watts also work.
The biggest comment about “The Friend,” which my cousins and I absorbed after our viewing at the festival, is that it doesn’t delve deep into the matter of suicide, which is an important topic to deal with. And I know some other film critics would agree with us on that. This movie has the potential to be first rate, if only it was more consistent about that topic. But there are going to be sad, touching, and funny moments in the story that does win us over. Or maybe at one point, it might toy with our emotions a bit. But I’m not going to say how.
In their first entry since “Montana Story,” McGehee and Siegel have acknowledgements between the writer and the Great Dane. People are people, and dogs are dogs, and through emotions, they collaborate quite well. And I know because I’m an uncle to two dogs, and they love my belly rubs. And for the hilarity and heart presented here, “The Friend” deserves a treat.
In Select Theaters This Friday and Expands Nationwide Next Week
