In Writers and Directors’ Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s The Friend, renowned Author Walter, played by Bill Murray, died of suicide. He was survived by ex-wives Elaine and Barbara, played by Carla Gugino and Noma Dumezweni, wife Tuesday, played by Constance Wu, daughter Val, played by Sarah Pidgeon, and best friend and one-time lover Iris, played by Naomi Watts. In late Walter’s mythos, he found abandoned 150-pound Great Dane Apollo (played by special Bing) sitting alone while he was out running. Walter and Apollo became friends, inseparable until Walter died.
Walter bequeathed Apollo to Iris, his former student and charged with editing his collection of letters, while she worked on her own novel. Although Iris suffers from traumatic writer’s block. She doesn’t know what to do with Apollo. Her rent control apartment forbids dogs. Besides, Iris is a cat person.
Iris asked, “Why me?” Barbara said, “You were his (Walter’s) best friend.” Ironically, Iris never got that. They had sex once. Afterward, Walter dismissed her. Still, they remained close friends over the years. In Scott and David’s selective flashbacks, Walter, played with aloof brilliance by Bill Murray, was all charm and all asshole. Why did he have so many ex-wives and a sort-of-girlfriend? When he taught at the University, he had sex with his students like Iris which led to his own dismissal. Sadly Walter tragically succumbed to suicide, but no one cried for this man. Well, almost no one.
As Walter’s friends and family scattered his ashes over Hudson Bay, Apollo howled in heart wrenching sadness. He missed his Master, missed his best friend. Unlike those fake people, Apollo authentically mourned his loss. He loved imperfectly human Walter. I cried.
That’s the profound poignancy of Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s The Friend, based on the Bestselling novel by Sigrid Nunez. Apollo unconditionally loved Walter. He mourned him. He was sad. Apollo becomes The Friend for Iris, who helps her forgive Walter and love herself again. Namoi Watts is sublime presence with Bing’s Apollo’s kind eyes and gentle stillness.
In the old movie adage: Never act with children or animals. Still, Naomi and Bing share the profound screen partnership as Iris and Apollo heal from their loss and love each other. When Iris picked up Apollo at the Animal Shelter, he walked out looking so lost. His straight ears up. He looked at Iris with sad eyes. Iris recognized that look. That was her own.
Initially and predictably, Iris and Apollo clashed in classic odd couple fashion. 150-pound Apollo literally squatted on Iris’s bed, forcing her to sleep on an inflated mattress. Val (Sarah Pidgeon) repaired Walter’s ancient laptop to retrieve his correspondence to complete their book together. As Iris read Walter’s words aloud that tamed Apollo’s angry breast. Apollo loved Walter as much as she once did.
Sharing the bed, Iris and Apollo watched Jimmy Stewart in It’s a Wonderful Life, where an Angel saved Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey from suicide. Iris got that no angel saved Walter from suicide. Tragically, Apollo was there with Walter when he killed himself. Apollo lived with that sadness.
In her epiphany, Iris can keep Apollo by making him her support animal. Thus, they can remain in her rent control apartment. Iris sees her former therapist for his recommendation. This was really about Iris. She needed Apollo to let go her of own fear and sadness. She needed Apollo to move on with her life.
In the climactic narrative arc, Dr. Warren, played by compassionate Tom McCarthy, asked Iris, “If Walter were here? What would you like to say to him?” It was a narrative copout that Iris didn’t ask, “Why did you kill yourself?” Although that might be the source material. Iris was angry at Walter, because his suicide was so selfish in her eyes. Perhaps, Walter feared living in suffering more than death? I’m just asking.
Iris poignantly said, “I can feel him (Apollo) missing Walter the same way I did.” Mourning and sadness can heal us. Iris and Apollo share their sadness, heal, and move forward. They unconditionally love each other, too.
Noble Apollo had sat in stillness waiting for Walter, waiting for love. Now, Apollo waits for Iris. And Iris waits for Apollo. They wait for the one they love. The Friend waits for unconditional love. The Friend is something very special.
