The movie Friendship (2025) opens with Craig Waterman, a suburban dad and public relations worker, whose life is clearly on a downward spiral. He is married to Tami, and his existence feels corporatized and dull. One day, Craig meets Austin, a charismatic and self-assured man who introduces Craig to a new world filled with friendship, connection, and emotional availability. Austin, played with charm by Paul Rudd, becomes the catalyst for Craig’s desire to change his life and form a meaningful male friendship.

Early scenes show Craig and Austin quickly bonding. Craig takes Tami to see Austin perform with his band, and Austin convinces Craig to skip work to hang out. They go mushroom picking in the forest, where Austin spots a yellow car he dreams of owning. Craig begins to have vivid daydreams where he imagines himself as a heroic figure in Austin’s life and even in apocalyptic scenarios, signaling his deep yearning for significance and connection. Meanwhile, Craig also starts paying more attention to his wife Tami and their son Stevie, hinting at his desire to improve his personal life.

Austin invites Craig to hang out with his close-knit group of male friends at his house. The group initially bonds over a sing-along to “My Boo,” creating a warm, brotherly atmosphere. However, the mood shifts when they move to Austin’s basement for a friendly boxing session. Craig takes a couple of punches but then unexpectedly lands two sucker punches on Austin. The other guys become visibly uncomfortable with Craig’s behavior. Craig tries to laugh it off and even chews on a bar of soap as a form of self-punishment, but the damage is done. The group quickly turns against Craig, and the night ends awkwardly with the friends distancing themselves from him.

As the story progresses, Craig’s mental state deteriorates. He struggles to adapt to the emotional maturity and stability Austin embodies, especially as Austin finds a way to balance his promotion at work and his friendships. Craig, on the other hand, regresses into immaturity, seeking comfort in old habits rather than facing his evolving reality. He even vocalizes a bleak view that men shouldn’t have friends at all. This decline culminates in a series of deeply sad and shocking events that mark Craig’s disintegration and isolation.

The film’s final act is intense and unsettling, showing Craig’s emotional unraveling and the consequences of his inability to form healthy male bonds. Austin, who initially welcomed Craig warmly, sets firm boundaries after Craig crosses multiple lines, leading to a painful fallout. The movie immerses viewers in Craig’s troubled mind through subjective filmmaking and tightly edited fantasy sequences, making his desperation and loneliness palpable.

Throughout the film, Austin’s character arc moves toward emotional maturity and balance, while Craig’s arc tragically descends into immaturity and isolation. The narrative is punctuated by moments of cringe-worthy humor and discomfort, making the viewer both empathize with and feel uneasy about Craig’s actions. The story ends on a somber note, highlighting the difficulties many men face in forming and maintaining friendships.

In summary, Friendship (2025) is a darkly comedic and visceral portrayal of male bonding, focusing on Craig’s desperate and ultimately destructive attempt to connect with Austin and his friends, set against Austin’s more grounded and mature approach to life and relationships.

Craig and Austin develop a quick friendship that becomes a turning point in Craig's life. Austin is charismatic and invites Craig into his friend group, but Craig's behavior, including a violent incident during a friendly boxing match, causes tension and alienation from Austin's other friends. Craig's intense need for connection and validation leads to increasingly uncomfortable and dark situations between them.

Tami, Craig's wife and a cancer survivor, initially appears distant and disconnected from Craig, hinting at reconnecting with an ex-boyfriend. Craig's self-absorption causes strain, especially when he forces Tami to relive his sewer exploration experience, resulting in her getting lost for days. Eventually, Tami leaves Craig after finding sexual satisfaction on her own, though the film implies a possible later reconciliation before Craig's final breakdown.

Steven, Craig and Tami's son, has a smaller role but serves as a calm and confident contrast to his father Craig's increasingly unstable and self-absorbed behavior.

The film immerses viewers in Craig's miserable existence, using subjective filmmaking to depict his fantasies of being a heroic figure in Austin's life. Craig's intense desire to feel valued and essential leads to an inability to accept rejection or boundaries, culminating in his emotional detonation and social alienation.

Craig's attempts to integrate with Austin's friend group initially go well but deteriorate after a boxing match where Craig's aggressive behavior makes the group uncomfortable. The friends quickly grow to dislike Craig, which exacerbates his feelings of rejection and isolation, contributing to the film's dark and unsettling tone.

The movie Friendship (2025) is not family friendly and is rated R due to language and some drug content. It is a dark comedy with uncomfortable, cringeworthy situations and adult themes that make it unsuitable for children or sensitive viewers.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting content includes:

• Strong language throughout the film.
• Drug use depicted in some scenes.
• Social awkwardness and self-centered behavior that leads to tense, uncomfortable interactions.
• Cringe-inducing, awkward social situations that may be disturbing or unsettling, especially for sensitive viewers.
• Mild violence in the form of a friendly boxing match that escalates to a sucker punch, creating a tense atmosphere.
• Themes involving illness and marital intimacy issues, including references to cancer remission and sexual dissatisfaction, which may be sensitive topics for some viewers.

The film’s tone is a mix of unsettling, awkward comedy and drama, focusing on adult relationships and emotional vulnerability, making it inappropriate for children or those seeking lighthearted family entertainment.