Our Friend
No one dies with dignity. Whether we live to 100 or are struck down in our prime by any one of the numerous diseases that plague humanity, death is a messy affair that shatters the carefully crafted world we spend the rest of our lives piecing together. Conscious of this reality, the makers of Our Friend search for beauty in the heartbreaking chaos of cancer and encourages career-best performances from its star-studded cast along the way.
Based on a true story, the 2012-set film follows Nicole (Dakota Johnson) and Matt Teague (Casey Affleck), an Alabama-based couple whose lives are turned upside down when Nicole is diagnosed with cancer. Upon hearing the news, their close friend Dane (Jason Segel) drives from New Orleans to help, and soon becomes the glue that holds a fractured family together.
Written initially for Esquire by the real Matthew Teague and brought to screen by The Way Back scribe Brad Ingelsby, Our Friend forgoes traditional structure to present its narrative like flickers of fading memories. With Nicole's diagnosis serving as the story’s anchor point, the film jumps between the time before and after that fateful day as a means of illustrating the complicated nature of relationships. Under the skillful direction of Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish; Megan Leavey), these moments flow together seamlessly and provide a deeper understanding of the characters and their motivations as each sequence plays out.
But the beautiful performances in this small-world story — the likes of which we see far too infrequently these days — do come at a cost, namely the nitty-gritty details of dying from cancer that made Teague's original story a viral sensation. The article made an argument for finding the purest moments of beauty amid the darkness of death, but this adaptation focuses mainly on the moments that help you ignore the elephant in the room. Segel's presence is the salve that eases all suffering, and he plays the part so well that even viewers may briefly forget the journey’s inevitable ending.
But he isn't the only cast member who delivers. Affleck's knack for navigating tragedy with calm yet uneasy resolve is more refined here than in Manchester by the Sea. Johnson, meanwhile, is finally given a stage to showcase her considerable talents. As Nicole grapples with her fate, the actress conveys the inherent flurry of hope and nihilism that comes with encountering such a dire situation.
As much as the promotional materials may sell Our Friend as a potential awards competitor, Cowperthwaite's latest is, at best, a premium-grade tearjerker that will satisfy any moviegoer’s need for a good cry. We don't see nearly enough mid-budget films about the human condition's intimate nature, but stories like this one make the argument that we need more like it amid these uncertain times. It's a reminder that despite what the world at large may tell us, the most important things in life are the people at our side.
Grade: A-minus. Rated R. Starts Jan. 22 at the Carolina Cinemark, when it’s also available to rent via Amazon Video, iTunes, and other streaming services.
(Photo: Claire Folger)
