Friendship Director Andrew DeYoung Discusses the 'Primal' Humor Surrounding Male Loneliness

      Director Andrew DeYoung, known for Friendship, believes that while men may find it easy to make friends, the challenge lies in maintaining those friendships.

      Friendship, which marks DeYoung’s debut as a writer-director, stars Tim Robinson as Craig, a solitary suburban father married to the enigmatic Tami (Kate Mara). Despite his marriage, Craig feels isolated and becomes platonic friends with his adventurous new neighbor, Austin (Paul Rudd), a weatherman. However, Craig’s attempts to impress Austin result in various crises.

      The film is one of the funniest we’ve encountered, particularly striking since DeYoung avoids a purely comedic tone and instead draws inspiration from Paul Thomas Anderson’s serious film, The Master.

      The film reaches its peak with the casting of the ever-appealing Rudd, who embodies the persona of a cool neighbor, alongside Robinson, whose keen insight into social disasters drives his acclaimed Netflix series, I Think You Should Leave.

      Friendship also poignantly addresses the uncertainty many men feel about their roles, encapsulated in its provocative tagline, “Men shouldn’t have friends.” In their quest for connection, some men turn to abrasive influencers like Andrew Tate, while others seek genuine self-improvement.

      At 42, DeYoung thrives at forming friendships himself; he met Robinson at the wedding of Robinson’s former Saturday Night Live colleague Aidy Bryant. However, he notes the real difficulty for many men lies in sustaining friendships beyond a superficial level.

      “I believe maintaining male relationships is challenging,” he states. “In my generation, we were quite under-socialized. Nowadays, it seems there’s a significant resurgence, perhaps an overcorrection in culture, surrounding a type of masculinity I perceive as ultimately harmful.”

      He adds: “Generally—and I've observed this in numerous male friendships, even now—many struggle to navigate deep and difficult moments that are unavoidable in any relationship. I see many friends grappling with this, failing, and striving to improve.”

      “The current wave of masculinity reflects a need that men are trying to satisfy, but they’re uncertain about how to fulfill that need,” he concludes.

      You can hear our complete conversation with Andrew DeYoung on Apple or wherever you get your podcasts, or right here:

      Andrew DeYoung Discusses Friendship and Confronting Our Inner Craig

      Friendship writer-director Andrew DeYoung; photo by Monica Schipper, courtesy of the filmmaker.

      DeYoung is candid about his uncertainty regarding what men should do. He simply acknowledges the dark humor in the challenges of being a modern man.

      “I’m not here to provide answers. I’m just here to highlight,” he says. “Hopefully, people find enjoyment in realizing how tough it can be to connect with someone, falling short, and grappling with their emotions.”

      “There are numerous resources available that can help you form a deeper relationship with yourself, which may then lead to better relationships with others. My aim is to create a cathartic film because I believe we all feel a sense of separation at this moment.”

      DeYoung is familiar with the suburban backdrop of Friendship, though the snowy setting differs from the Fresno, California hometown he grew up in. After studying screenwriting at Cal State Northridge and graduating in 2005, he created short films and became a prominent television comedy director on series including Pen15, AP Bio, I Love That for You, Our Flag Means Death, and Shrill, which featured Bryant.

      He feels that younger generations are making strides in masculine bonding, “to a certain extent.” (For instance, the recent TikTok trend of young men calling friends to say goodnight.) In the meantime, Friendship serves as a solid guide for those aspiring to build friendships on how to avoid missteps.

      “Identifying with Craig allows for humor in observing a guy who struggles to contain himself in ways many of us recognize. He engages in actions we might secretly crave, yet we hold back due to awareness of the consequences.”

      DeYoung enjoys exploring primal instincts—those that resonate universally. When asked what type of validation he seeks for a script before committing years to film it, he replies, “None. If it resonates with me, that’s sufficient.”

      He wrote Friendship in 2020, making some adjustments along the way, particularly in shaping Rudd’s character, Austin, to appear more vulnerable. Throughout the development process, he remained confident in the film's core concepts.

      “The themes in the movie are fundamentally primal. Any jokes I wrote in 2020 that seemed fleeting were simply removed," he explains. "But at its core, the premise is primal—connection is akin to food and shelter.”

      Friendship is currently showing in theaters, distributed by A24.

      Main image: Tim Robinson in Friendship. A24.