The Friend

Last night I went to the Broadway for a double feature and I started with The Friend because I have a soft spot for dogs.  It is a slow-moving but poignant exploration of how an unlikely friendship helps a woman come to terms with her grief (bring tissues).  Walter (Bill Murray) is a successful author and professor with a messy personal life which includes three troubled marriages, countless affairs with students, and an estranged daughter.  The only constants in his life are Iris (Naomi Watts), a friend and former student who is also an author, and Apollo (Bing), a 150-pound Great Dane.  Iris is devastated when Walter commits suicide but she is surprised and annoyed when she learns that he has chosen her to care for Apollo.  This completely disrupts her life because her rent-controlled apartment has a strict no-dogs policy and, since Apollo is also mourning the loss of Walter, he dislikes being alone which keeps her from working on her current novel.  She eventually forms a bond with Apollo so, in a last ditch attempt to avoid being evicted, she meets with a therapist to certify that she needs him as an emotional support animal only to discover that she actually does.  Anyone who has ever had a dog will definitely relate to how much comfort they can provide and I cried several times, particularly when Iris wishes that Apollo could live as long as her.  Even though Watts and Murray are outstanding, especially in an emotional scene where Iris imagines confronting Walter about abandoning Apollo (who is a stand-in for her), I absolutely loved Bing's performance because he is so expressive.  I enjoyed this touching movie and highly recommend it (but please heed my suggestion about the tissues).