After spending years avoiding the big screen, the comedy genre is finally experiencing the renaissance that fans have been asking for. Films like The Naked Gun and One of Them Days have brought laughs to the big screen while also finding financial success at the box office. A24 also delivered a popular comedy this year, which quickly gained a lot of fans online and arguably generated more conversation than any other 2025 comedy. It’s also probably the outright funniest movie of the year, as long as you enjoy the awkward, uncomfortable style of something like I Think You Should Leave.
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Friendship, starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd, is a dark comedy about a suburban guy trying to become friends with his cool new neighbor. It’s hilarious and, at times, kind of terrifying, making for a perfect comedy experience with a crowd or group of pals. Thankfully, watching Friendship just got a lot easier, as Friday marked the film’s long-awaited streaming debut.
A24 has a first-look streaming deal with HBO Max, so it was widely known that Friendship would eventually land on that platform, but it wasn’t until recently that the specific date was announced. Friday, September 5th marked the launch of Friendship on HBO Max, bringing the outrageous comedy to a massive audience at home. On Saturday night, Friendship will make its linear debut on the HBO channel.
You Need to Give Friendship a Shot on HBO Max
If you skipped Friendship in theaters because you weren’t sure about its brand of humor, HBO Max is providing the perfect opportunity to discover something new. Writer/director Andrew DeYoung revels in the discomfort that comes from grown men trying to make new friends, and how those struggles can feel internally. It’s an issue that blends so perfectly with the awkward nature of Robinson’s comedy, which people have come to love through I Think You Should Leave.
Even if that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, it’s worth at least clicking play on Friendship and trying the first 10-15 minutes. You’ll know almost right away whether or not you like this type of humor. If you’re not into it, you can simply turn it off with no consequence and no money spent. If you like it, though, chances are you’ll really like it, and you’ll join the ever-growing cult following of Tim Robinson fans.
This whole “waiting for streaming” discovery period is honestly how a lot of people came to understand the greatness of Robinson’s comedic sensibilities. He spent years as a writer and sometimes performer on Saturday Night Live, but his sketches didn’t always land with the mainstream audience — or what others felt the mainstream audience would want. His show with Sam Richardson, Detroiters, was cancelled after just two seasons on Comedy Central. However, once Robinson launched I Think You Should Leave at Netflix, and audiences were able to actually discover his comedy on full display, his work caught fire and hasn’t cooled off since.
Friendship won’t be for everybody, and that’s okay. But it’s such a well-crafted film that is so aware of exactly what it’s going for, that it’s absolutely worth giving at least a few minutes of your time. Worst case scenario, you spent a few minutes on something and moved on. Best case scenario? You might have just found one of your new favorite movies.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features. -
Courtesy of Comedy Central
