Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd’s A24 dark comedy Friendship heads to HBO Max this September

In a world where connection feels like a minefield, A24’s Friendship delivers a razor-sharp dark comedy that’s equal parts hilarious and excruciating. Starring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson, the film follows a suburban dad’s obsessive quest to befriend his enigmatic neighbour, peeling back the layers of male bonding with biting wit. After a buzzy theatrical run, Friendship streams on HBO Max starting September 5, 2025, ready to make you laugh, squirm, and question every awkward handshake.

Tim Robinson, the genius behind I Think You Should Leave’s cringe-inducing sketches, stars as Craig Waterman, a socially inept dad fixated on his new neighbour, Austin (Paul Rudd). Directed by Andrew DeYoung, who honed his absurdity chops on The Eric Andre Show, Friendship debuted at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, earning an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 4.2/5 from audience polls.

Craig’s increasingly unhinged attempts to win Austin’s friendship, from botched barbecues to a disastrous artefact heist, blend physical comedy with raw emotional stakes.

Paul Rudd’s magnetic edge in Friendship

Paul Rudd, the perpetually pleasant as well as sometimes smarmy player of Ant-Man, morphs into Austin Carmichael, the disgruntled, slightly disgraced weatherman with punk-rock credentials, big-forehead moustache, hat, and fascination with collecting things others would call art, or relics. Rudd's natural affability hides Austin's vulnerability and offsets Robinson's pulsating freneticism.

Their relationship - "electric" according to Variety - takes Rudd's bromance relationship in I Love You, Man and trades his comedy of failures for the darker commentary of. The whole work benefited from the undeniable mutual admiration from rehearsal in New York in 2023 and palpable chemistry from their modern friendship. 

Friendship: The art of cringe comedy

Friendship thrives on its fearless embrace of discomfort, turning mundane interactions into comedic landmines. Robinson’s signature meltdowns—like a meltdown over a stained custom jacket—are grounded by the film’s exploration of male loneliness and societal pressure to “fit in.” Clocking in at 100 minutes, it feels like an extended I Think You Should Leave episode but with sharper narrative depth. A24’s $7 million acquisition paid off, with the film grossing $16.6 million in limited release and sparking a cult following, complete with viral “Waterman Woes” memes.

With a short cast including Kate Mara as Craig's puzzled spouse and Jack Dylan Grazer as his cynical son, it's an absurd and charming trip. DeYoung directs with a sparse style and punk-esque score, and the film walks a line between absurd and emotionally impactful, and is one of A24's biggest standouts for its 2025 slate alongside Y2K and Heretic.

Where to watch Friendship

Stream Friendship on HBO Max starting September 5, 2025, or catch it on HBO’s linear channel September 6 at 8 p.m. ET. After a May theatrical run that sold out indie theatres, this dark comedy is primed to find its cult audience at home.

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