Where Can I Watch Friendship and Why This Indie Gem is Hard to Find

Where Can I Watch Friendship and Why This Indie Gem is Hard to Find

You're probably scouring the internet because you saw a clip, heard a whisper at a film festival, or caught a stray tweet about the movie Friendship. It stars Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd. That sentence alone is enough to make anyone start frantically typing "where can i watch friendship" into a search bar. But here’s the thing: finding it isn't as straightforward as just opening Netflix and hitting play.

The film industry is weird right now.

Sometimes, movies with massive stars just sort of... hang out in distribution limbo for a bit. Friendship, directed by Andrew DeYoung, made a massive splash at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in late 2024. People loved it. Critics called it "uncomfortably hilarious" and "the perfect vehicle for Robinson’s specific brand of chaos." Yet, for the average person sitting on their couch at home, the "play" button remains elusive.

The Current Streaming Status of Friendship

Honestly, if you are looking for it on a major subscription service today, you’re going to be disappointed. It is not currently on Max, Hulu, or Disney+. As of early 2026, the film is moving through its traditional release windows.

A24, the powerhouse indie studio known for picking up the strangest and best projects, secured the rights to Friendship. This is a huge deal because A24 doesn't just dump movies onto streaming. They believe in the "theatrical experience." This means the movie had its run in theaters first. If you missed that window, you're now waiting for the VOD (Video on Demand) release or its eventual home on a streaming platform.

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Currently, the most reliable way to watch Friendship is to look at digital storefronts. Check Apple TV (formerly iTunes) and Amazon Prime Video. Usually, these platforms offer the movie for a digital rental fee—typically around $5.99—or a digital purchase for roughly $19.99.

Why the Hype Around This Specific Movie?

Why is everyone asking "where can i watch friendship" anyway? It’s the chemistry.

Tim Robinson plays Craig, a suburban dad who lives a very structured, somewhat boring life. Then he meets Austin, played by Paul Rudd. Austin is the "cool guy." He’s a weather reporter who does urban exploration and has a life that seems infinitely more exciting than Craig's. The movie is essentially a breakup story, but for a bromance. It captures that specific, agonizing feeling of wanting someone to like you so badly that you completely lose your mind.

If you’ve seen I Think You Should Leave, you know Robinson’s style. It’s loud. It’s sweaty. It’s socially disastrous. Pairing that with Rudd’s "everyone’s favorite guy" energy is a masterclass in comedic friction.

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The A24 Factor and Max

Since A24 has a multi-year deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, their films almost always end up on Max (the service formerly known as HBO Max).

However, there is a delay.

Usually, a movie hits theaters, then goes to digital rental about 45 to 60 days later. After that, it takes another few months to land on a streaming subscription service. If you are waiting to watch it for "free" with your Max subscription, you might be looking at a several-month wait from its initial theatrical debut.

Where to Look if You’re Outside the US

International distribution is even more of a headache. In the UK, Canada, or Australia, the rights might not belong to A24. They might be held by local distributors like Entertainment One or Transmission Films.

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  • Canada: Check Crave. They often get indie hits faster than US streamers.
  • UK: Look at the BFI Player or Curzon Home Cinema. These sites specialize in the kind of high-brow comedy Friendship represents.
  • Australia: Stan is your best bet for A24-adjacent content.

Is it Worth the Rental Fee?

Let's be real. Not every movie is worth twenty bucks.

But Friendship hits a very specific itch. It’s not just a "funny movie." It explores the loneliness of adult men and how hard it is to make friends once you’ve settled into your thirties and forties. It’s cringe-inducing. There are scenes where you will want to pause the movie and walk out of the room because the social awkwardness is so intense.

If you enjoy the work of Nathan Fielder or the more aggressive sketches from Saturday Night Live, this is a "must-watch." If you prefer standard romantic comedies where everyone is polite and the conflict is resolved with a hug, maybe skip the rental and wait for it to hit cable.

Tracking the Release

If it’s still not showing up on your favorite app, use a tracking tool. JustWatch is the gold standard for this. You can set an alert for Friendship, and the second it moves from "Theater Only" to "Available to Rent" or "Streaming on Max," you’ll get a notification. It saves you from checking every Friday morning like a crazy person.

The film's journey from a TIFF darling to a household name is still happening. Indie films don't have the billion-dollar marketing budgets of Marvel movies, so they rely on word-of-mouth. The fact that you’re even searching for it means the word-of-mouth is working.

What to Do Next

  1. Check your digital retailers first. Open the Amazon Prime or Apple TV app on your TV and search for "Friendship 2024." If it’s there for $19.99, that’s your current path.
  2. Verify your Max subscription. If you can wait, keep an eye on the "Recently Added" section of Max over the next three months.
  3. Check local indie theaters. Some smaller "Alamo Drafthouse" style theaters do encore screenings of A24 hits months after the initial release.
  4. Watch the trailer again. Seriously, it helps you decide if Robinson’s high-octane screaming is something you’re in the mood for tonight or if you need a drink first.

Finding where to watch Friendship requires a little bit of patience, but for fans of boundary-pushing comedy, the payoff is genuinely there. It’s one of the few movies from the last couple of years that actually feels original.