Friendship (2024)

Director: Andre DeYoung

Cast: Tim Robinson, Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer, Paul Rudd

Have I Seen it Before: Nope.

Did I Like It: If you haven’t watched Robinson’s superlative Netflix series I Think You Should Leave, I wonder why you’re coming to see this film, and I wonder if it would work for you. Robinson has a comedic voice unlike anyone now or before. It can take a second to calibrate to his perfect picture of the modern man dealing with the frustration of existing via expulsions of non sequitur and rage. You should really go watch that show. It’s great!

I write those preceding sentences and realize that there should be plenty of moments to get eased into Robinson’s style. It probably still wouldn’t work entirely. It didn’t for me, sadly.

It’s entirely possible that Robinson’s persona doesn’t work in a longer form. The bubbling up of his ire and confusion can’t sustain itself, or at least can’t do so with consistently being as funny as he clearly can be. He works better as a firecracker of comedy. He may have been built for sketch comedy.

Maybe it’s because Robinson only performs and didn’t write any of the material here. I tend to believe that assessment more than the long term versus short term of it all. His sitcom Detroiters managed to capture that same level of magic. The writers are imitating his style, and while Robinson can play this character, there isn’t much more than a journeymen’s effort on display.

The film isn’t without its charms. It does manage to depict—if not quite elevate—the quiet desperation of middle class life in the the 21st century. It also makes a valiant effort at deconstructing the forever-young myth of Paul Rudd. Even if he wears a bald cap*, he’s willing to make himself the butt of the joke, and that’s always something nice to see from a movie star.

*Is it possible that what Rudd might actually look like?

Shazam! (2019)

Director: David F. Sandberg

Cast: Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer

Have I Seen it Before: This review is coming in a little late. Something about the DC films have left me in less than hurry to catch new entries. For the life of me, I can’t remember what that is.

Did I Like It: You know, it’s a funny thing.

Occasionally I like to escape for a matinee at the local second-rate theater. No, I did not mean second-run. That species has very suddenly become a thing of the past. The second-rate theater is the place that doesn’t have the amenities of the modern theater. No one will bring you cheese fries. There is not an IMAX screen or 3D projector in sight. There aren’t even stadium seats here, it’s that old. I realize that stadium seating in movie theaters is far from a new thing, but it still feels like a recent development, like when Monica and Chandler got together on Friends. Now that I think about it, both of those things happened at the same time.

I do not mean to disparage the essence of the second-rate theater. Especially during a matinee, no one bothers me. I am alone in a cold room—this, of course, before theaters got seat warmers—drinking a Pepsi and eating popcorn that is already doing a serious number on my stomach lining.

It is heaven.

Today, wasn’t so much that experience. I got to the screening a few minutes late. I hate to walk in on a movie that has already started, but I’m reasonably sure I might have missed all of the trailers, and only a minute of the actual movie. I’ll live with that. There were… children in the theater. At least two, but as many as three of them. And they were chatty as all hell. I don’t like that so much.

Every plot point—hell, every moment—in the movie elicited frantic, full throated questions. By the time the third act came around, the kids were screaming as if they were experiencing—not watching, mind you—Dave Bowman entering the monolith. How long has it been since I reacted to a movie like that? I’ll admit I shirk this responsibility more than most supposed adults, but I’m kinda required to keep my shit together in public.

I guess I just really like going to the movies.

Oh, you might want to know if this particular movie was any good. It was fine. Zachary Levi has been polishing his man-child comedic charm for years. It is brought to full realization here. The villain (Strong), whom I’ve already forgotten the name of, is a little bland, and it’s maybe twenty minutes too long.

But you wouldn’t have been able to tell the kid in my screening any of that.