The Movie “Friendship” Might Have Been Better as a Short Sketch.

Tim Robinson, known for his writing and performances, including his role alongside in the awkward comedy Friendship, demonstrates comedic brilliance. Similar to his sketch series , Robinson excels in crafting uniquely uncomfortable scenarios. He often portrays a seemingly oblivious but subtly irate character, delivering inappropriate remarks and displaying mismatched facial expressions and unusual body language. I Think You Should Leave presents absurd situations in short, humorous segments, such as Robinson’s portrayal of a man caught viewing a “nude egg” at work or a clueless individual requesting a Bryan Cranston haircut and receiving a dog-like hairstyle instead. He also embodies a struggling performer whose gentle Chaplin-esque routine is disrupted by heckling frat boys. Despite its absurdity, Robinson creates believable and bizarre worlds for each character, akin to a modern-day Zippy the Pinhead, a naive and eccentric individual out of sync with reality.

However, Friendship, directed by Andrew DeYoung, raises the question of whether there can be too much Tim Robinson. Robinson plays Craig Waterman, an average suburbanite with a mundane job, a wife (Kate Mara) who is losing interest, and an indifferent teenage son (Jack Dylan Grazer). Craig’s life is uneventful until Austin Carmichael (Rudd), a charismatic TV weatherman, moves in next door and expresses interest in becoming friends. Their initial encounter involves Craig delivering a misplaced package, and Austin’s cheerful farewell, “Stay curious, Craig Waterman!” brightens Craig’s day.

The friendship blossoms due to Austin’s charismatic nature, which Craig admires and tries to emulate. Austin’s involvement in a punk band, which Craig considers incredibly cool, further enhances Austin’s appeal. Austin takes Craig on a nighttime adventure through an aqueduct, leading to an illegal visit to city hall. Austin seems oblivious to Craig’s social awkwardness until Craig jokingly punches him during a get-together, leading to a falling out and leaving Craig feeling lost, angry, and determined to prove his worth.

Friendship highlights the challenges men face in forming friendships, which explains why the initial scenes, where Austin shows genuine interest in Craig despite his social ineptitude, are the most compelling. Initially, Austin either overlooks or disregards Craig’s awkwardness, inviting the audience to see him as a sweet but clumsy person. However, as Craig’s desperation grows, Robinson’s performance becomes more tiresome. Craig loses his job after an outburst at a client meeting, and his wife leaves him, adding to his troubles. While Robinson’s portrayal has subtle moments, such as his gap-toothed smile that evokes both sympathy and contempt, the issue lies in the fact that the Tim Robinson of I Think You Should Leave’s short sketches is more effective. Just as potent elixirs are consumed in small amounts, the same principle applies to comic genius.