The Friend

Iris, a writer and creative writing teacher, is left an inheritance after the suicide of her closest friend and mentor: an enormous Great Dane called Apollo. Her small New York apartment does not allow dogs, the neighbours complain, and an eviction notice follows. Scott McGehee and David Siegel do not make an animal picture, they make a film about grief, and the one thing the two of them share is that the dog is grieving too. Naomi Watts carries patience and anger in the same scene, while Bill Murray appears largely in flashback. The source is Sigrid Nunez's award-winning novel. The film's best decision is refusing to humanise the dog. Who it is for: viewers who like quiet dramas about grief, solitude and living in New York. Who it is not for: anyone who would rather not approach the subject of suicide.