The Friend (2025) Film Review: Sweet dramedy will resonate with all dog lovers
- reeltalkin'
- Apr 26
- 2 min read
Solitary New York writer, Iris (Naomi Watts), finds her comfortable life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor, Walter (Bill Murray), bequeaths her a Great Dane named Apollo. Despite the huge dog immediately causing problems, from furniture destruction to bed ownership and eviction notices, Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding with Apollo as they grieve their friend, helping her come to terms with her complicated past and creative inner life.
The film, based on the 2018 novel by Sigrid Nunez, is directed by frequent collaborators Scott McGehee and David Siegel (The Deep End, 2001; Montana Story, 2021). The narrative explores many profound themes of grief, existentialism, companionship, the mental toils of the creative artist, and the meaning of life.
Sensitively directed, the movie is quiet and understated, providing plenty of thoughtful insights into characters' lives and states of mind. The musings of Iris are often presented through voice-over, which offer compelling questions like 'how do you explain the concept of death to a dog', and relatable statements such as 'no matter how much sleep I get, I am still exhausted'.
The film does sometimes dip its toes into too much sentimentality with its presentation and emotionally manipulative scenes, which are created to make the audience cry. Meandering and slow pacing do decrease the value of these moments, as well as some tonal issues with poorly integrated black comedy and questionable decisions regarding Murray's character. The movie does feel overlong and could have benefited from a tighter screenplay and some trimming down in the editing room.
Having said that, the movie is elevated significantly by great lead performances from Watts and her endearing new dog friend, Bing (AKA Apollo). Dogs can prove to be remarkably intelligent and empathetic creatures, and the most touching aspect of this story is Apollo's very human experience of bereavement following the suicide of his master. Bing is a remarkable animal, blessing us with the next great dog performance since Messi in the Oscar-winning Anatomy of a Fall (2023). Devastating acts of holding on to one of Walter's shirts as he takes ownership of Iris' bed and refusing to move and eat or drink, whilst all the while projecting a sorrowful stance with downcast eyes and a solemn composure, provide the film's most moving moments. Coupled with Watts's dedicated, heartfelt performance makes for a truly memorable pair of leads.
Anyone who is a pet owner, an animal advocate, or has experienced loss in their life will be able to find solace and charm in The Friend. Despite some pacing problems and predictable nostalgic moments, rich, thought-provoking themes and lovely lead performances result in a truly rewarding viewing experience.
Check out the trailer for The Friend (2025) below, and please let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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