Our Friend is a romantic comedy-drama directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite. It stars Jason Segel, Dakota Johnson, and Casey Affleck in main roles and was released on 22nd January 2021 on Video On Demand.
Matt Teague (Casey Affleck) works as a journalist and his wife Nicole (Dakota Johnson) is an actress and performs in a theater. They have a common friend Dane (Jason Segel), an aspiring standup comedian. Matt and Nicole were living their normal happy life with their two daughters Molly (Isabella Kai Rice) and Evie (Violet McGrew) and their lives take a drastic turn when Nicole gets diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Their friend Dane decides to help them out in these grieving times, taking care of Matt, Nicole, and their daughters.
Based on Matthew Teague's 2015 article The Friend: Love is Not a Big Enough Word, and with a screenplay by Brad Ingelsby, Our Friend is a poignant tale of friendships and beautiful human bonds and emotions. After seeing it I felt that the screenplay somewhere goes overdramatic but it didn't come to mind while I was watching it. It is just because the writers here did an exceptional job in bringing lives to these three characters. Matt, Dane and Nicole, are the ones who will make you hold onto this heartwarming film.
Matt is mocked by his colleagues but he finally got the correct job that he deserved. For that, he had to travel around the world. Even he was there with a woman, a fellow journalist, in Pakistan, the unusual tension was there between them, in that lift scene, but he didn't do anything whereas his wife Nicole here in America, lonely, kissed another man. They have an understanding between them and they sort it out. And their dear friend Dane is kind of messed up with what he wants to be in the future.
In one scene, Matt says that Dane's scenario is so overrated. Yes, it is. But it really helped the character to pop out the most among the three. He went on hiking one day and there he met Teresa (Gwendoline Christie, Brienne of Tarth from GOT). She tells her that she has been observing him and he reminds her of her of the day when she thought of giving up her life. That short scene was so beautiful and so crucial for understanding Dane's mind and how much broken he is. But has a golden heart.
He's a friend that leaves his own life back to help Nicole, whom he loves the most and she's the reason his relationship with other girls are not going well. He is not a guardian angel, he's just a friend, a normal person, with his issues, trying his friend Matt and Nicole in their hard times. The three characters are breathable and there are several characters and their dynamics with these three leads are very well shown. Sadly the jumping in the timelines disconnects you slightly from what's happening now, but it hardly matters as the story engulfs you from the start.
Casey Affleck as Matt Teague has given a very understated performance. His actions and movements add naturalism to his act. Dakota Johnson gets less meat on her part but she is overall wonderful as Nicole. The one who hits a sixer is Jason Segel. His portrayal of Dane is one of the best character and performance I've seen in recent times. Such a nuanced performance, his expressions and breaking of the voice is heart-shattering. Isabella Kai Rice as Molly was also fantastic. With her frustration and anger for her father and the sadness for her mother, she emotes everything convincingly.
The cinematography by Joe Anderson is a sheer example of brilliance. Every frame is mesmeric and the picturesque locations are beautifully captured. The production design by Cara Brower is gorgeous and the music by Rob Simonsen is touching. The editing by Colin Patton could have sharper but it's quite okay.
Our Friend is a beautiful film sadly many have not even heard of. It's mainly about the friendships, the bond, the strong connection between the three characters. Ordinary Love remains my favorite cancer movie for sure, but Our Friend has that sweetness and the power to strike hard and make you sob, so it'll be in my top three. Watch this intense poignant story where Jason Segel, Dakota Johnson, and Casey Affleck shines throughout. It has a lot to tell you about life and friendship and relationships.
Rating:- 3.5/5
Now on Video On Demand.
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