The film's plot rarely takes us outside the secluded villa, and it's exciting to watch these personalities collide. At the beginning, the film is entertaining because it shines through the chemistry between the characters, uniting opposites. Coolidge, in particular, is fantastic as Ruth, a woman who is perpetually dazed and unfiltered. You can browse The Return Movie on Theflixtor.
While everyone around her walks on eggshells and brings years of trauma into every conversation, Coolidge displays such shamelessness that can only come from a liberated, secure sense of self. I often feel like Montiel and the others. Play "Journey to Jerusalem" with the cast and discover the bizarre ways random pairs interact to keep the wheels turning before Lefty and Ronnie arrive. Characters are often defined by key quirks that become their entire personalities (like DJ's tendency to share science facts). Such quirks feel like the end of their personalities, not the beginning of anything.
It might be easy to dismiss directors Scott McGehee and David Siege's The Friend as a superficial Hallmark movie at first (indeed, Christmas music is heard in the first few scenes). And yet, it's a deceptively unsettling exploration of grieving the loss of a friend you never got close to. The subject matter is heavy, but it's easy to digest, thanks to the best dog performance this side of Messi in Anatomy of a Fall. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Sigrid Nunez and follows Iris (Naomi Watts) as she looks after Apollo (played by the dog Vin), an 180-kilogram Great Dane who is left behind by his owner Walter (Bill Murray). (We'll return here.) Iris is not a dog person, but she dutifully serves as Apollo's caretaker. She has a complicated relationship with Walter, who has been his mentor, lover, and creative partner. There is a big gap, and her conversations with Apollo become a way for her to process her grief and doubts.
For those who are not really dog people, like Iris at the beginning of the film, The Friend is one of the first films to effectively highlight the important role pets play in our lives, as vessels for stories. About those who have died, how their silence and affection can lead us to practice presence, encouraging us to face the storms of emotion within us. This is the best work of Watts' career, and she plays Iris as a woman who has grieved and tried to stay strong, never allowing herself to break down. Apollo's needs pull her out of her spiral and force her to confront the issues that are plaguing her.