‘The Friend’ Finds Salvation in a Great Dane’s Soul

Must love dogs. No, really.

“The Friend” is a testament to grief, loneliness and the bonds beyond traditional romance. All of the above hinges on a Great Dane that might be our finest animal actor, the Laurence Olivier of the canine set.

If you can’t stand sharing space with a four-footed beast, “The Friend” won’t land as required. If a dog ever became an integral part of your family, you’ll sit and stay for this “Friend.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpgLdI–F9M

Naomi Watts stars as Iris, a novelist suffering from writer’s block and, more importantly, the sudden death of a close friend.

Can we have a moratorium on New York-based stories centered around writers, let alone scribes suffering from writer’s block?

End of rant.

The lost “friend” is Walter (Bill Murray), a thrice-married writer who had beautiful women orbiting his larger-than-life persona.

Walter doesn’t get much screen time – his death happens early in the film – but it helps immeasurably that Murray plays him. Who else but the “Ghostbusters” alum could engender such fierce loyalty in wives, ex-wives, former lovers and, most of all, Iris?

He did leave Iris with a parting gift, of sorts. It’s Apollo, a spotted Great Dane who Walter insisted live with her if something ever happened to him.

Iris lives in a rent-controlled apartment that doesn’t allow dogs. Naturally, she’s less than thrilled to learn about Walter’s dying wish. And, to be fair, Apollo takes up a LOT of room.

Still, she’s a dutiful friend so she accepts this gargantuan roommate. It’s the start of an unlikely journey, one that finds Iris questioning her old friend, her future and whether she can ever get Apollo off her bed.

He. Will. Not. Budge.

Naomi Watts sets up the story of an unexpected bond between a woman and a dog in her new film The Friend! #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/VwYdUn5o9z

— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) March 26, 2025

“The Friend” isn’t filled with “Beethoven”-style yuks or cutesy reaction shots. It’s grounded from start to finish, a gentle essay touching on themes that matter to the over-50 set. Death. Loneliness. Regret.

Kibble.

Apollo is a sight to behold, but his gentle face conveys more emotion than you expect. Directors Scott McGehee and Stacey Battat wring the most out of the dog’s fascinating mug. His body language does the rest, as only dogs can.

How many “actors” can hang with a pro like Watts?

She’s saddled with a difficult task, beyond co-starring with a chronic scene-stealer. She’s a lost soul who clings to her friend in ways that seem Abbie-Normal, to paraphrase “Young Frankenstein.”

On the surface, Walter was a piece of work. He seemed self-absorbed and oblivious to his effect on those around him.

A late revelation about his ties to Iris is stomach curdling. Yet he commanded respect, nay love, in profound ways.

The dramatic elements in “The Friend” rarely rise above a simmer. Iris may lose her apartment if she can’t find a home for Apollo, but the screenplay isn’t as worried about that as she should be. Her ties to one of Walter’s exes (Carla Gugino, solid as ever) offer more texture but nothing thematically formidable.

Less, as is often the case, is more.

“The Friend” is a subdued tale dependent on Watts’ star power, Murray’s appeal and the power dogs have on our lives. And maybe even our souls.

One of the movie’s final shots says it all. If it doesn’t melt your heart, consider yourself a “cat person.”

HiT or Miss: Naomi Watts anchors “The Friend,” a gentle ode to the healing power of Man’s Best Friend.

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