The Screening Room | ‘The Friend’ a testament to the power of pets | Film-television

‘The Friend’ ★★★

½ Cast: Naomi Watts, Bill Murray, Josh Pais, Carla Gugino, Constance Wu, Sarah Pidgeon, Owen Teague, Sue Jean Kim, Tom McCarthy and Bing. Directed and written by Scott McGehee and David Siegel (adapted from the novel by Sigrid Nunez); produced by Mike Spreter and Siegel. A Bleeker Street Media release. 120 minutes. Rated R (language). At the AMC Champaign 13 and Savoy 16 IMAX.

I don’t have to tell those who have dogs as pets how wonderful their canine companions are. Studies have shown having one increases the owner’s life expectancy and helps relieve stress, while their presence is like having a live-in therapist.

If you own one and your response to the question “Do you ever talk to your dog?” is “No,” you’re lying. Despite the occasional mess, the shoes you love getting chewed up and the constant hair, they become an invaluable part of our lives. They’re the family member we can always rely on, the one who doesn’t hold back in showing us how much they’ve missed us, whether we’ve been gone five minutes or five weeks.

So when they leave — always too soon ––the pain is genuine. Pity those who say in response to your grief, “It was only a dog.” They’ve never been lucky enough to experience the special bond that can exist between man and beast.

This sort of loss is at the center of Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s “The Friend,” an adaptation of Sigrid Nunez’s poignant novel. A massive great Dane by the name of Apollo (Bing) is the catalyst, a majestic animal who affects everyone he meets, his massive body belying his gentle nature, his mere presence drawing even the reluctant towards him.

He was once the companion of Walter Meredith (Bill Murray), who revels in telling the tale of how he and Apollo met, a story that’s become more hyperbolic over the years. Though the college professor’s friends respect and love him, they have come to look at him askance as he relates meeting the noble beast while out jogging one day. Abandoned, the dog is first seen atop a hill, his distinct profile against a clear sky, striking a pose suggesting he’s perfectly capable of caring for himself. Without hesitation, Walter takes him in.

Now, Walter is gone, having committed suicide. His widow, Barbara (Noma Dumezweni), claims that he requested that his colleague and former student, Iris (Naomi Watts), take care of Apollo. Not a dog person, she resists this request, reasoning that her tiny, rent-controlled apartment is hardly big enough, and she certainly doesn’t have room in her life for a 150-pound four-legged companion. Yet she concedes to take Apollo in until she can find a better placement for him.

Suddenly living in close quarters together, it becomes apparent the two new roomies are each grieving the loss of Walter, and both will travel different paths in coming to terms with this event. As an author, Iris begins to write about her experiences with her friend and mentor, flashbacks filling us in on their complex relationship. Equally important are her interactions with Walter’s daughter, Val (Sarah Pidgeon), as well as his ex-wives, Elaine (Carla Gugino) and Tuesday (Constance Wu). Iris’ interactions with them, as well as her constant writing about him, force her to contend with incidents involving Walter she’d rather forget, as well as her anger over his suicide.

To their credit, McGehee and Siegel are very deliberate in their pacing, Iris’ cathartic journey towards reconciliation and healing not an overnight occurrence. The complexity of grief and the hold it takes on us is handled respectfully, the process of healing seen as a two-steps-forward, one-step-back endeavor that takes time, for both people and canines.

The veteran cast is aware of the delicate nature of the material, their performances grounded and sincere.

And much like the titular character in “The Penguin Lessons,” Apollo is never presented in an overly cute, cloying manner, which goes a long way toward contributing to the film’s reverent tone.

Apollo and Walter are friends of a very different but necessary sort for Iris. While the former provides reliable companionship, as well as inspiration, the latter was able to anticipate just what she would need to heal and survive. Leaving her his best friend proves to be her salvation.