The Friend

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2:29

The Friend

R,

2025,

2h 3m,

Drama/

Comedy

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84%

148 Reviews

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Popcornmeter

84%

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148 Reviews

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In The Friend, writer and teacher Iris (Naomi Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor (Bill Murray) dies suddenly and bequeaths her his beloved 150 lb. Great Dane. The regal yet intractable beast, named Apollo, immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones, his looming presence constantly reminding her of her friend's problematic choices in both life and death. Yet as Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding with the animal, she begins to come to terms with her past, her lost friend, and her own creative inner life.

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Critics Consensus

Leavening its parable of grief with some adorable human-canine bonding, The Friend is a winsome dramedy that'll resonate with pet owners and just about anyone who's experienced loss.

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Stephen Romei

The Australian

Aug 4, 2025

3.5/5

...The Friend [is] a thoughtful and tender-hearted adaptation of Sigrid Nunez’s 2018 novel.

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Wenlei Ma

The Nightly (AU)

Jul 28, 2025

3.5/5

The Friend is a stirring and thoughtful film that taps into that exquisite connection between humans and every very good dog.

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Stephanie Zacharek

TIME Magazine

May 1, 2025

Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s film adaptation can’t quite capture the prickly subtlety of the book—yet on its own, it still works.

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Don Kaye

Moviefone

Jul 15, 2026

8.5/10

The Friend is a profound, compassionate look at how we navigate change and loss in our lives as we get older.

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Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

Dec 9, 2025

4.5/5

Touching story about how a human-animal bond can prove transformational during times of grief.

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M. Faust

The Buffalo Hive

Aug 30, 2025

3/4

The Friend rambles on a bit longer than it should have ... but it is an engaging, relatable drama that was a pleasure to spend time with.

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Scott McGehee

Director

David Siegel

Director

Naomi Watts

Iris

Bill Murray

Walter

Noma Dumezweni

Barbara

Sarah Baskin

Mara

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Synopsis

In The Friend, writer and teacher Iris (Naomi Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor (Bill Murray) dies suddenly and bequeaths her his beloved 150 lb. Great Dane. The regal yet intractable beast, named Apollo, immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones, his looming presence constantly reminding her of her friend's problematic choices in both life and death. Yet as Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding with the animal, she begins to come to terms with her past, her lost friend, and her own creative inner life.

Director: Scott McGehee, David Siegel
Producer: Liza Chasin, Scott McGehee, David Siegel, Mike Spreter
Screenwriter: Scott McGehee, David Siegel
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Production Co: 3dot productions, Big Creek Projects
Rating: R (Language|A Sexual Reference)
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 4, 2025, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 29, 2025
Runtime: 2h 3m

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