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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!

Snack Shack (2024): Hot Dog!

Posted on by Jack Drees

“Snack Shack” is written and directed by Adam Rehmeier (Jonas, Dinner in America) and stars Conor Sherry (Are You Afraid of the Dark?, The Terminal List), Gabriel LaBelle (The Fabelmans, American Gigolo), Mika Abdalla (Sex Appeal, The Flash), David Costabile (Breaking Bad, Suits), and Nick Robinson (Love, Simon, The Fifth Wave). This film is about two boys who find themselves in a situation where they end up running a snack shack by an outdoor swimming pool. The film dives into their attempts to make money, find romance, and cook up the best summer they can.

It almost feels like yesterday when I was a teenager. Frankly, I do not miss that time of my life, but I will admit it had its moments. That said, to some people, it is an undeniably special time. If I were to miss one thing about being a teenager, it is having a summer to just chill. It was a relaxing time with few worries. This brings me to what made me gravitate towards seeing “Snack Shack” in the first place, it looked like a wonderfully nostalgic story. In more ways than one, “Snack Shack,” at least from the marketing, reminded me of “The Sandlot.” Both films involve multiple teens trying to have the time of their lives during the summer, it is very much a slice of life tale, and as a bonus, both movies involve swimming pools! In terms of plot and characters, the movies have their fair share of differences, but that is perhaps the easiest comparison I can make off the bat.

Now, is “Snack Shack” as good as “The Sandlot?” Not really. In fact, I would recommend not going into this movie expecting to watch this generation’s version of that film. These are two different projects with completely different ideas and structures. But is “Snack Shack” a fine movie? For sure. It is one of the better watches I had so far this year.

What ties this film together is the leading duo of A.J. and Moose, played excellently by Conor Sherry and Gabriel LaBelle. As for Sherry, this is my first time watching him in anything. He has experience with other projects, but I cannot say I bothered to check them out. That said, I like him in his respective role. When it comes to LaBelle, I was pleasantly shocked to know that he was in this movie given how much I enjoyed “The Fabelmans,” which he starred in. Compared to that project, LaBelle ends up giving a much more energetic and upbeat performance to match the mood of a film like this. He does a good job. These two friends feel legitimate and have solid chemistry. Every moment these two are on screen together shows they are perfectly cast and play off each other well. The movie goes to show that these two will do anything, even at such a young age, to make a buck. But when I look at these two best friends, it does not come off as if money is the only thing they care about. They seem to enjoy hanging out, they enjoy life, even if it means getting into a little trouble. They seem like fun dudes.

This film is marketed mainly as a comedy. You could say it falls into that “coming of age” bracket as well, but if I had to name one genre to associate with “Snack Shack,” it would be comedy. Thankfully, the movie is quite funny. It has plenty of laughs. The movie has a fair amount of visual gags. There was one moment that got a chuckle out of me where we see the two friends trying to buy the “Snack Shack.” From a visual perspective, the duo’s choice of outfits in that scene was already funny enough. But on top of that, you also have the community’s reaction to their investment, and the overall pacing of the dialogue. Simply put, the scene could not have been any better. One of my other favorite visual gags of the movie is when the guys start selling a foul hot dog. This is not to say the hot dog looks, smells, or tastes bad. But the guys find a way to get creative with condiments and write a swear word on the sausage itself. The way this is executed is one of my favorite parts of the movie from the way it starts to seeing customers react to the whole idea.

Another highlight of the film is Mika Abdalla as Brooke, who serves as this story’s love interest of sorts. It becomes clear that both of the boys fall for her. But the way this connection goes about only intensifies and gets in the way of the boys’ relationship. When it comes to Mika’s character, there is one part of the story I enjoyed where we see her using a camera. There are several moments of the movie where a camera comes into play that had me immersed. The object basically becomes a part of the character’s personality.

If I have to give any negatives for the film, I would say the supporting characters are not that memorable. Did I like most of the supporting characters as I watched them? Sure. I will not deny that. But if you had to ask me about them right now, I would almost not even be able to tell you a single thing about them. At the same time though, my lack of knowledge towards the supporting cast does not take away from the fun I had watching A.J., Moose, and Brooke, the three most integral characters to the story.

I mentioned this movie is kind of a slice of life story. And in that sense, it really does feel like it is a part of someone’s life. The film is a semi-autobiographical tale from the viewpoint of writer-director Adam Rehmeier. It is inspired by his time working at a snack shack. The way the movie goes feels less like a linear story, though it is told in chronological order, and more like a topsy turvy journey. It is kind of like life itself. A series of ups and downs until it is all over. You just never know what is going to come next.

This film has been out since last March. And this is not to say that the film is unwatchable. I’m clearly giving this a positive review. I do not know why the people behind this film decided to release it at such an early point of the year. Maybe the strikes put a damper on things, I do not know. Although I bring this up because “Snack Shack” feels like a fine summer watch. This is a movie could easily get you in the mood to jump in the pool or go outside and bask in the sun. Maybe the studio thought the season would be overcrowded with blockbusters or people might be, I don’t know, actually going outside. But if you need a movie to get you in the summer mood, I think “Snack Shack” will satisfy your cravings.

In the end, “Snack Shack” is delicious. Between the stellar main characters, intriguing story, well executed dialogue, and overall energetic flow of the script, the movie has a lot of strengths. The film is not perfect. But again, summer is around the corner. If it is a rainy day and you want to be inspired to go outside by the next time the sun comes out, “Snack Shack” is an effective watch. One last positive, the film made me thirsty. Now, as someone who has seen a lot of movies, I kind of groan when a movie has obvious product placement. That said, when I looked at the drink cups the snack shack had in stock, all I can say is that I immediately wanted a Diet Coke from the drink fountain. So, props to the movie for selling me on Coca-Cola products. I am going to give “Snack Shack” a 7/10.

“Snack Shack” is now available to rent or buy on VOD.

Thanks for reading this review! If you enjoyed this review, good news! I have more coming! Be sure to stay tuned for my thoughts on “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” “Monkey Man,” “Abigail, “Civil War,” “Boy Kills World,” and “Challengers.” 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 “Snack Shack?” What did you think about it? Or, what is the one food that comes to mind that screams “summer” to you? Just writing this is making me want a basket of french fries. Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!