Nothing prepares you for the sight of Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson debating bromance in pitch-black nightvision. That's the bizarre magic of A24's latest promo for Friendship, a film that takes the cringe-comedy rulebook, douses it in gasoline, and invites you to laugh at the flames.
The Setup: Male Bonding as Existential Horror
The official synopsis frames Friendship as a sweet bromance between suburban dad Craig (Tim Robinson) and his mysteriously cool neighbor Austin (Paul Rudd)—until Craig's clinginess turns their Superbad-meets-Fight Club dynamic into a “laugh-until-you-cry nightmare.”
But the real horror? The trailer's gimmick: Rudd, Robinson, and co-star Eric Rahill riffing in total darkness, lit only by eerie green nightvision. It's The Blair Witch Project meets a podcast gone off the rails—a perfect metaphor for male friendship's unspoken tensions.
Why This Feels Fresh (and Familiar)
Director Andrew DeYoung (TV's Our Flag Means Death) leans into the same awkwardness that made Tim Robinson's I Think You Should Leave a cult hit. But where most bro-comedies (I Love You, Man, Superbad) play awkwardness for warmth, Friendship weaponizes it.
TIFF's verdict? “I Love You, Man for sickos.” Translation: This isn't just cringe—it's clinical.
The A24 Factor
A24's brand thrives on discomfort (Beau Is Afraid, The Lobster), but Friendship might be their first straight-up comedy about the terror of needing a friend too much. If the trailer's any indication, expect:
- Paul Rudd deploying his signature charm—then flipping it into something sinister.
- Robinson's signature spiral (see: ITYSL's “I'm not like the other guys” energy).
- A nightvision aesthetic that makes every joke feel like a confession.
Release Dates: Hits theaters May 9, 2025.
Friendship looks like the kind of movie that'll have you texting your group chat: “We're not this bad… right?” Comment below if you're brave enough to watch.
