Hop Film: The Friend
Naomi Watts, Bill Murray and a majestic Great Dane star in this moving comedy drama about an NYC writer whose life is upended by her departed mentor's beloved dog.
Naomi Watts, Bill Murray and a majestic Great Dane star in this moving comedy drama about an NYC writer whose life is upended by her departed mentor's beloved dog.
After the death of acclaimed writer Walter (Bill Murray), one of his protégées (Naomi Watts) winds up stuck with Apollo, his beloved 150 lb. Great Dane. The regal yet intractable beast immediately creates practical problems for Iris, like possible eviction from her rent-controlled NYC apartment, as well as more existential ones. 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.
With so many dog movies throughout cinema history, one might imagine there's no new ground to tread—but directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel have crafted one unlike any other. This deeply thoughtful adaptation of Sigrid Nunez's National Book Award Winner about our relationship to animals becomes a powerful drama about grief, independence and the importance of finding our ways into others' worlds.
Content Warning: This film contains content that addresses suicide.
