The Friend (2025)

After her close friend (Bill Murray) commits suicide, his widow (Noma Dumezweni) tells his writer friend (Naomi Watts) that he wanted her to have his Great Dane (Bing). This proves difficult as not only does she have a small apartment but her apartment building doesn't allow dogs. Based on the novel by Sigrid Nunez and directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel (THE DEEP END). Just a lovely and moving film about loss and the emotional chaos that suicides often leave for their surviving loved ones to deal with. While the dog is an important part of the narrative, this isn't OLD YELLER and definitely not a movie for kids. Still, I can't imagine anyone who's lost someone close to suicide not feeling the grief. There's some sophisticated humor flecked in among the drama but not enough to call it a dramedy. Watts is marvelous here and Murray's curmudgeon persona fits in nicely with his character. With Constance Wu, Carla Gugino, Ann Dowd and Sarah Pidgeon.