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The Friend is a drama film written, directed, and produced by Scott McGehee and David Siegel. It is adapted from Sigrid Nunez's 2018 novel of the same name, which won the prize for 2018's National Book Award for Fiction. The movie is produced by McGehee, Siegel, Liza Chasin, and Mike Spreter. Moreover, Margaret Chernin, Becky Glupczynski, Mike Topoozian, and Naomi Watts serve as its executive producers.
It premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2024, and was released in select theaters on March 28, 2025, and nationwide on April 4, 2025. The film's cast includes Naomi Watts, Bill Murray, Constance Wu, Sarah Pidgeon, Ann Dowd, Carla Gugino, Noma Dumezweni, and others. The Friend was filmed throughout New York City in locations like Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The film's official synopsis, as per Rotten Tomatoes, reads:
"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."
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It continues:
"The regal yet intractable beast, named Apollo, immediately creates practical problems for Iris.... 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."
The Friend was filmed in New York City
The Friend was filmed in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and various locations around New York City. Filming began in February 2024, and lasted over the next couple of weeks in the Big Apple. The historic Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village was one of the filming locations for the Naomi Watts-starrer.
Her co-star, Apollo, is played by a Great Dane named Bing. His handler, Bev Klingensmith, mentioned shooting for the film in Manhattan on her personal blog by saying:
"Bing and I lived in New York City for three months (Jan-March 2024) for the training and filming. The first three weeks we spent working with Naomi in her home, to allow her and Bing to develop a bond and for her to become comfortable handling Bing on screen. Most of the filming was done at various locations around Manhattan."
What is the story of The Friend?
The Friend follows the writer Iris (Naomi Watts) grappling with the sudden death of her close friend and mentor, Walter (Bill Murray), by suicide. Once his student and lover, Iris developed a close friendship with Walter over time.
Although a highly regarded author and teacher, Walter had to retire from his job due to his questionable behavior towards his students. His three ex-wives, played by Carla Gugino, Constance Wu, and Noma Dumezweni, were all his students at some point. One of them informs Iris that Walter wanted her to look after his Great Dane, Apollo, should anything happen to him.
However, her rent-controlled apartment has a strict no-dogs policy, leaving her in a bind. She initially regrets keeping Apollo in her tiny apartment, as his gigantic size leads to all kinds of problems. But she soon realizes that Apollo is also mourning Walter, not unlike her. The two bond over their shared grief as they come to terms with Walter's absence in their lives.
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