Kate Mara

Friendship (2024): The Funniest Comedy of the 2020s

Posted on by Jack Drees

“Friendship” is written and directed by Andrew DeYoung and this is his feature-length directorial debut. This film stars Tim Robinson (Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Detroiters), Kate Mara (Fantastic Four, House of Cards), Jack Dylan Grazer (Shazam, It), and Paul Rudd (The 40 Year-Old-Virgin, Dinner for Schmucks). This film is about a suburban dad who attempts to develop and maintain a friendship with his neighbor.

If there is one genre that I wish had better treatment at the movies, that would be comedy. There are not many cases where comedy films are marketed for the cinema anymore. Do not get me wrong, like all other kinds of movies, the comedy genre can have their duds. Just ask anyone who made “Jack and Jill” over a decade ago. But comedies are not only one of my favorite kinds of films to watch, but if done right, they can play well in front of a large audience in a theater. Maybe they do not have the explosions of an action film or have the financially safe mass appeal of a family-oriented animation, but nothing is better than a ton of people laughing at the same time.

To quote Ron Burgundy, “It’s just science.”

The film of discussion today, “Friendship,” is not the most prominent comedy of all time. It is from the consistently growing distributor A24. While it does have some notable names like Paul Rudd and Kate Mara, its star power could arguably be bigger. But for me, the on-screen talent did not sell me. If there was something that got me in the door, it would be the positive press the film has racked up since its September 2024 premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Based on the reviews I saw in advance, I had a feeling “Friendship” was going to be good. But I was not prepared for just how good this film was. This cinematic experience blew my socks off.

“Friendship” might be the funniest comedy I have seen in years. I say that knowing that I have reviewed a couple comedies this decade that I adore like “Joy Ride” and “Bottoms.” I particularly remember issuing high praise to those two movies. But I cannot say I laughed as hard during those two films as I did with this latest one. When it comes to “Friendship,” I genuinely do not recall laughing as hard as I did at a comedy film, maybe since first watching “The Hangover” with my dad as a teen.

I recall having big laughs during select films I have seen in the past ten years like “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” “Anora,” or “The Mitchells vs. the Machines.” But one can argue that those are films featuring comedy as opposed to being pure comedies. If you were to ask me what genre “Friendship” is, comedy would be the answer. And I would imagine I am not alone in this particular claim.

I saw this film in an auditorium that could fit 35 people. Most of the seats were taken. I honestly wish it could have been hundreds, because this is the kind of film that reminds me of why I love the moviegoing experience. There are multiple times in this film where I reflect on certain parts and imagine hundreds of people in the same room laughing their butts off. Seeing this film with an audience is a feeling unlike any other. I would guess if I did see “Friendship” in an auditorium with hundreds more people sitting around me, the laughter would be nonstop.

As someone who has seen a lot of comedies, the jokes from one movie to the next can feel been there done that. The jokes in “Friendship” sometimes feel cliche, but if you have been following Scene Before for a long time, you may have noticed me say that I do not mind cliches as long as they are done well. I am going to try to be as secretive as possible here, but when this movie gets to a gag involving a glass door, my sides were in orbit.

There are very few complaints I have about the film. Although one that comes to mind is simply based on personal experience. Around the first quarter of the film, there is a scene that takes place on a news set that feels a tad played up. I get that it might have been done that way to make the story flow, but I work on a morning news team and while it is a tense environment, there is an exchange between Austin and a news anchor that feels a bit overplayed. I did not buy it. Granted, this is a comedy movie so suspension of disbelief is inevitable in some places, but as someone who works in a newsroom, this scene was too over the top.

I also appreciate how the movie handles its characters. I am not going to pretend that I agree or root for the film’s protagonist, Craig Waterman (left), 100 percent of the time. But even when that is the case, I still appreciate the way he was executed. I saw Waterman, who is excellently portrayed by Tim Robinson, as a stereotype for someone going through a mid-life crisis. At various points we see Craig become jealous of Austin’s car, his social circle, as well as him having cool-sounding interests.

In fact, you can almost say Paul Rudd’s character, Austin (right), is in a somewhat similar boat. Going back to that car of his, having seen it myself, it is a pretty sweet ride. Some would say the chicks dig it. But throughout the film, we see a pattern. Austin possesses select objects or hangs with certain people to compensate for getting older. There is one particular reveal regarding Austin that comes out of nowhere, and not only does it make sense for who the character is, but I was laughing up a storm as the reveal came into frame.

I said before that comedies are one of my favorite kinds of films to watch. This is partially because they are so accessible no matter my mood. I could get home from a long day of work and put one on to pass the time. It could be bright and sunny out and I need a colorful-looking flick to match the mood. I could be up for a quick laugh with someone I know. I refuse to turn off my brain during movies, but comedies are as close as I get to turning my brain off because if the movie makes me die laughing, I can forgive some of its other flaws. “Friendship,” like another recent comedy I enjoyed, “Joy Ride,” not only made me laugh, but also made me appreciate its depth when it came to the script. I would like to watch this film in 10, 20, 30 years.. I am only 25 right now, but I am curious to see how this film ages for me as I get closer to the points where the main characters reside.

In the end, “Friendship” is peak comedy. I love to laugh, and this movie made me do what I love to the point where I thought I was almost rolling on the floor. Not only is it funny, but it is also a decent commentary on the work that goes into maintaining friendships and how it is important to remember to be appreciative for what you have. “Friendship” is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Period. End of sentence. End of review. I am going to give “Friendship” a 9/10.

“Friendship” is now playing in theaters and is available to rent or buy on VOD.

Courtesy of Lionsgate – © Lionsgate

Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for the brand new “John Wick” spinoff, “Ballerina.” Stay tuned! Also, look forward to finding out my thoughts on “The Phoenician Scheme,” “The Life of Chuck,” “Materialists,” and “Elio.” If you want to see these reviews and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Friendship?” What did you think about it? Or, what is the funniest movie you have ever seen? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!

Call Jane (2022): Elizabeth Banks Delivers a Stellar Performance in This Progressive-Centric Story

Posted on by Jack Drees

DISCLAIMER: Before we go any further in this review, I want to make an announcement. In all of my content that I have done on Scene Before, I have often tried to stray away from politics, especially in recent years. But “Call Jane” is a film that requires me to talk about certain issues that some would deem “political.” This is a movie about abortion after all, which can be defined as a human issue. But given the current climate, it is also political, not to mention religious. Therefore, if you decide to read on, you will hear certain thoughts I have on such an issue. I try to keep politics and entertainment separate, even during my yearly awards shows, but this is a case where I have little to no choice in this matter. With that said, enjoy my review of “Call Jane.”

“Call Jane” is directed by Phyllis Nagy, who also wrote “Carol,” in addition to scribing and directing a 2005 HBO film titled “Mrs. Harris.” This film stars Elizabeth Banks (The LEGO Movie, Pitch Perfect), Sigourney Weaver (Alien, Ghostbusters), Chris Messina (Birds of Prey, The Mindy Project), Kate Mara (Fantastic Four, The Martian), Wunmi Mosaku (Lovecraft Country, Loki), Cory Michael Smith (Camp X-Ray, Gotham), Grace Edwards (Schooled, Modern Love), and John Magaro (Orange Is the New Black, The Good Wife). This film follows a housewife in the 1960s who becomes pregnant and finds out said pregnancy could threaten her life. With few options available, she finds herself amongst the Janes, who despite certain laws being in place, perform abortion procedures. After finding out more about their efforts, she joins the Janes in their mission.

I did not hear much about this movie until a week or two before it came out. Although I was sold immediately upon seeing Elizabeth Banks’s name attached. She is easily one of my favorite actors, no, people working in Hollywood. She is easily the best game show host on television with her run on ABC’s “Press Your Luck.” I love her voiceover work in both of the “LEGO Movies.” Some of her physical roles like “Slither,” “Zack and Miri,” or even her supporting character in “Brightburn” stand out to me. The last movie I reviewed, specifically “Black Adam,” is no stranger to star power with box office behemoth Dwayne Johnson at the top of the cast. While Johnson may be a star, Banks is a thespian. Her talent knows no bounds. Even though I was not fan of her directorial effort in 2019’s “Charlie’s Angels,” I still have respect for her. In fact, she is directing another film set to come out soon, “Cocaine Bear,” a movie with a concept that is awesome as it sounds.

As for the film itself, this did not look like my type of movie, and to be frank, if I were not reviewing movies, I would have probably waited to watch this film when it came out for home viewing. That said, I went to go see this film in the theater a couple weekends ago. Was it worth the impromptu trip?

I guess you can say so.

If I have noticed anything about filmmakers and stars over the years, it is that they do projects that often align to certain values. Paul Feig, who once wrote an article suggesting “Why Men Aren’t Funny,” went on to direct a woman-centered “Ghostbusters” remake. Seth MacFarlane, who has often been vocal about his liberal opinions, has done a series of “Family Guy” episodes making fun of famous conservatives like Rush Limbaugh or Donald Trump. Regardless of whether how often people do projects aligning with what they think, I would say Elizabeth Banks, who happens to be the chair for the Center for Reproductive Rights Creative Council, was a solid choice to play the main character. Her experience with such matters in real life seem to translate with how effectively she plays Joy. To my lack of surprise, she is the highlight of the film.

While “Call Jane” does not have my favorite cast of the year, it does come with some great actors including the legendary Sigourney Weaver, Kate Mara, and Wunmi Mosaku. All of whom play their part very well. Each one feels representative of the time, and the dialogue occasionally did them favors.

Phyllis Nagy does not have a lot of directorial credits on her resume. Her only other one is a straight to premium cable film, therefore this is her first theatrically released directorial feature. “Call Jane” has one of my favorite early shots of any 2022 feature. I always enjoy when movies have extended takes and this movie is no stranger to that. It does such a thing beautifully. There are better directorial visions that came out this year, but this one stands out to me.

Unlike other films coming out this time of year, this movie is not going to win any notable awards. Partially because of its lack of marketing and the fact that there are supposedly better movies coming. That said, “Call Jane” is a movie that if it had a bigger budget and played in more cinemas, it would probably be in a larger conversation for Oscar contention. It is also a movie that makes its message clear, and knowing the Hollywood stereotype, there is often a tendency for the progressive voices to be heard or recognized when it comes to Hollywood filmmaking. Why do you think some of the more notable jokes during the Oscars in recent years were about Donald Trump or his colleagues?

“We don’t make films like ‘Call Me by Your Name’ for money. We make them to upset Mike Pence.” -Jimmy Kimmel (The Oscars, 2018)

There is a saying that not every movie is for everyone. That statement is often used to describe personal tastes. Even though I hated Tom Tykwer’s “Run Lola Run” because of its ridiculously fast-paced editing, I can see why people like it. Maybe that style appeals to people. My mom and I often have different tastes in movies. She often likes disposable comedies, I am more of an action junkie. Not everyone is going to like the same things. With “Call Jane,” this movie’s biggest weakness is that its viewers may automatically be turned off by its concept. I will iterate, I am pro choice, therefore I watched this movie with no opposition to some of the things happening on screen. But if you are pro life, there is a good chance that you might turn this movie off 20 minutes into it, possibly even before that.

Although at the same time, given the current political climate and the way things are, I think that this is a relevant story that was perfect to release this year, coincidental or not. “Call Jane” is a movie that I assume is going to resonate with individuals who have some sort of experience with unwanted pregnancy or abortion. But I do not know how many people this could convince to become more open-minded towards abortion whether it is for religious reasons, political reasons, or something else. This is a movie that to me, does not feel like propaganda, but could easily be interpreted as such depending on who you talk to. As for whether this movie does something to sway people in one direction or another in regards to abortion, that could take years to be answered. But unless this film becomes a big hit on streaming for some reason, the message of this film will likely not have as big of an impact some of its crew would probably want to achieve.

In the end, “Call Jane” is a difficult movie to judge because I think it ultimately depends on where one stands on abortion. That said, as a story, this was compelling and engaging. Therefore, I liked it. Elizabeth Banks is great as the lead, the supporting cast also shows their talent, including Chris Messina. He and Banks have one particular scene towards the end of the film that has not left my mind. This is a film that I would recommend, but only to certain people. This is the kind of movie that if you hear the concept, you might know right away whether or not it is worth your time. For me, it was. Maybe it will be for you, maybe it will not. We shall see. Despite my mixed recommendation, I do want to see what would happen if someone who is pro life watches this to the end. It could make for a fun experiment. Will the viewer see it as propaganda? Will they see it as just plain wrong? Could it change minds? Great movies have the power to offer new perspectives that people take with them and change who they are. I simply do not know if “Call Jane” is able to do that despite being a decent story. Given its decency, I am going to give “Call Jane” a 7/10.

“Call Jane” is seemingly finishing up its theatrical run. It is available for preorder on streaming platforms like Vudu.

Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for the highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe installment “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” While this may not be the movie I am not putting at the top of my hype list this year, it is the one releasing this year that I am mostly curious as to how it could possibly be pulled off. Between Chadwick Boseman’s death, rewriting the future of a cinematic universe, and the return of Ryan Coogler in the director’s chair, this could be something special. I will unveil my official verdict soon. I am seeing the movie tonight in IMAX 3D. If you want to see this and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Call Jane?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite Elizabeth Banks movie? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!