The Friend (2024)

My Review

“The Friend” is a drama film about a New York City writer who inherits a Great Dane dog from a recently deceased friend. The canine “friend” causes enormous problems including destroying the furniture in her Manhattan apartment. However, she becomes fond of him over time. Directors-screenwriters Scott McGehee and David Seigel put together a sentimental tale which primarily appeals to dog lovers and the art house cinema crowd. Most people would solve the problem by taking him to the nearest animal shelter. But if that occurred, there would be no film. The script was adapted from the 2018 novel of the same name by Sigrid Nunez.

The cast seems to be sleep-walking through the entire picture, including Naomi Watts, Bill Murray, Carla Gugino, Ann Dowd, Sarah Pidgeon, Constance Wu, Owen Teague, and Ian Lithgow (son of John Lithgow). The unwatchable “The Friend” was a flop at the box office for producers McGehee and Seigel, 3dot Productions, Big Creek Productions, and Universal Pictures. It was filmed in New York City.