If you’ve spent any time on the weird side of the internet lately, you’ve probably seen the Friendship trailer pop up in your feed. It starts out looking like a standard, slightly quirky bromance. You know the vibe—the kind of movie where two guys realize they both like the same obscure 90s band and decide to become best friends over a craft beer.
But then Tim Robinson shows up.
Actually, he’s there from the start as Craig Waterman, a suburban dad who seems like he’s one minor social inconvenience away from a total nervous breakdown. When the Friendship trailer finally dropped in early 2025, it confirmed what fans of I Think You Should Leave had been dreaming about for years. This isn't a buddy comedy. Honestly, it’s a horror movie about the crushing weight of male loneliness and the absolute chaos of adult social cues.
The Cringe is the Point
A24 basically handed the keys to Andrew DeYoung, the guy behind some of the most surreal comedy of the last decade, and told him to make a feature film. He did. It’s called Friendship.
The premise is deceptively simple. Craig (Robinson) is living a beige life. He wears brown clothes. He works in marketing. He’s fine, mostly. Then Austin Carmichael (Paul Rudd) moves in next door. Austin is a local TV weatherman, which in this world makes him a god-tier celebrity. He’s cool, he has hobbies like mushroom hunting, and he plays in a punk band.
Craig falls in love. Not romantically, but in that desperate, "please like me" way that only men who have no friends can understand.
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Why the trailer feels so "off"
The Friendship trailer uses this weird, dream-like editing that makes you feel like you're trapped in Craig's head. One minute they’re exploring secret tunnels under the city—yes, literal sewer tunnels—and the next, Craig is landing a cheap shot during a "friendly" boxing match.
It’s uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be.
The movie isn't interested in traditional punchlines. It’s interested in the silence after someone says something truly insane in a room full of people. When Craig stuffs a bar of soap in his mouth as a "punishment" for being awkward at a party, the trailer doesn't play it for a laugh. It plays it like a tragedy.
Behind the Scenes of the Tim Robinson Bromance
There’s a lot of chatter about how this movie actually got made. Andrew DeYoung reportedly wrote the script specifically with Tim Robinson in mind. You can tell. Nobody else can do that "panicked buffalo" look quite like Tim.
Paul Rudd’s involvement is the secret sauce here. He’s the executive producer, too. Interestingly, his character was originally named Brian in the script. Rudd asked to change it to Austin because he didn't want people thinking he was playing Brian Fantana from Anchorman again.
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Austin is "cool" in the way a guy who collects ancient artifacts and wears a hairpiece is cool. He’s just as broken as Craig, he’s just better at hiding it behind a mustache and a charismatic smile.
The Cast You Might’ve Missed
- Kate Mara: She plays Tami, Craig’s wife. She’s not just the "long-suffering spouse" trope. She’s a cancer survivor who runs a floral business and is clearly the only adult in the house.
- Jack Dylan Grazer: He plays their son, Steven. He has this weirdly intense, overly affectionate relationship with his mom that makes Craig feel even more like an outsider in his own home.
- Conner O'Malley: Tim's frequent collaborator shows up, because of course he does.
Real Talk: The "Male Loneliness" Epidemic
People are calling this a "nightmare comedy," and that fits. But underneath the scene where Tim Robinson is screaming in a bog, there’s something genuinely sad.
Making friends as an adult man is hard.
Most of us just hibernate with our families and forget how to talk to other humans. Craig is what happens when that instinct to connect is dialed up to eleven and the "social awareness" dial is ripped off the machine. He doesn't know how to "just be." He thinks friendship is a performance you have to win.
The film premiered at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in late 2024 and basically set the Midnight Madness crowd on fire. Critics were divided—some found it too painful to watch, others thought it was a masterpiece of cringe. That’s usually a good sign for an A24 flick.
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Where to Watch and What to Expect
If you saw the Friendship trailer and thought, "I need to see this immediately," you’re probably already a fan of Robinson's specific brand of humor.
The movie hit theaters in May 2025. If you missed the theatrical run, it started streaming on Max (formerly HBO Max) in September 2025.
Pro tip: Don't watch this on a first date.
It’s the kind of movie that makes you want to crawl into a hole and never speak to another human being again. But in a fun way? Sorta.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you’re diving into the world of Friendship, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch "I Think You Should Leave" first: If you don't "get" Tim Robinson's rhythm, this 100-minute movie will feel like a marathon of teeth-pulling. You need to be calibrated to his frequency.
- Pay attention to the sound design: The score by Keegan DeWitt is incredible. It uses synth-wave riffs that sound like they belong in a 1980s thriller, which heightens the "social horror" aspect.
- Look for the "Just Ask" philosophy: This is Craig's personal mantra in the film. Seeing how he applies it (and fails) is the key to understanding his character's total lack of boundaries.
- Expect the unexpected ending: Without spoiling it, let's just say the third act goes to a place the trailer only hints at. It involves a yellow sports car, a handgun, and a lot of regrets.
This movie isn't a "hangout" film. It's an intervention. By the time the credits roll, you'll probably want to text your one friend and apologize for being weird, even if you haven't done anything wrong. That's the power of the Tim Robinson effect.