Unseen Connections: Navigating Grief Through 'The Friend'
In this episode of *Movies First*, Chris and Jessica embark on a poignant exploration of the film *The Friend*, a unique tale that shifts the narrative of grief from human to canine. Centered around a Great Dane named Apollo, who is left to navigate the complexities of loss after his owner’s tragic death, this adaptation from a nameless novel presents a fresh perspective on mourning. Chris highlights the remarkable character development brought to life by Naomi Watts as Iris and Bill Murray as Walter, whose haunting presence lingers throughout the film, adding depth to the emotional landscape.
The discussion dives into the intricacies of Walter's relationships, including those with his ex-wife and daughter, and how these connections ripple through the narrative without overshadowing the central theme of grief. Jessica points out the clever use of Apollo's physicality as a metaphor for loss—his imposing presence demands attention and reflects the emotional weight that cannot be ignored. The challenges Iris faces in a no-pets apartment, particularly her interactions with the building's janitor, played by Felix Solis, add layers of tension and compassion, showcasing society's often clumsy response to grief.
Listeners will appreciate the authentic portrayal of the bond that develops between Iris and Apollo, rooted in shared loss and gradual understanding. The film’s production design mirrors this transformation, as Iris’s apartment evolves from a cat-friendly haven to a space that accommodates Apollo, symbolizing her own journey through grief. Chris and Jessica ponder why this story resonates so deeply, noting its universal themes of unexpected healing and the irony of finding solace in what we initially resist.
With a rating of 7 out of 10, this episode invites listeners to reflect on how loss can lead to unforeseen connections and new beginnings, proving that sometimes the most meaningful relationships arise from the most inconvenient circumstances. Tune in for an insightful discussion that beautifully captures the essence of navigating grief through the eyes of a Great Dane.
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Chris: What happens when the one being left behind to grieve isn't human
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at all? Today we're exploring a film that
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turns the typical story of loss completely sideways
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by focusing on a Great Dane who's lost his owner.
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Jessica: That's such an unusual angle to explore grief through,
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especially considering this was adapted from a novel where
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none of the characters even had names.
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Chris: You know what's fascinating about the adaptation process?
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The screenwriters have had to essentially build these
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characters from scratch. Since the novel existed
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mostly in the narrator's imagination, they ended up
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creating this incredible dynamic between Naomi Watts as
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Iris and Bill Murray as Walter.
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Jessica: Well, speaking of Bill Murray, even though he appears
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briefly, his presence really haunts every frame of
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the film, doesn't it?
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Chris: That's exactly right. Murray brings this
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magnetic quality to Walter that makes his absence
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feel so much heavier throughout the story. He
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plays this brilliant but deeply flawed writing professor
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who's left behind this complicated web of
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relationships. An ex wife, a daughter,
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a widow, and of course, this enormous
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Great Dane named Apollo.
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Jessica: And the way they handle that complexity is so interesting,
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especially how they show the ripple effects of suicide without
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making it the central focus of the story.
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Chris: You know what really strikes me about that? The way they
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use Apollo's physical presence as this perfect
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metaphor for grief itself. Like
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you literally can't ignore or hide a Great Dane.
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It's right there, taking up space,
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demanding attention. Just like the emotional weight of loss.
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Jessica: That reminds me the practical challenges
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of having this enormous dog in a no pets apartment
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create such interesting tension.
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How did they handle those scenes with the building's janitor?
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Chris: Oh, man. Felix Solis absolutely
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nails that role. Instead of making the janitor, this
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one dimensional antagonist, they created this
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character who becomes almost like a Greek chorus,
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struggling between enforcing rules and showing compassion.
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It's like he represents society's often awkward response
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to grief.
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Jessica: The way they show the developing bond between Iris and
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Apollo feels so authentic too. It's not
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some instant magical connection, but something that
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grows gradually through their shared loss.
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Chris: And that's what makes it so powerful. Right?
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Here's Iris editing Walter's correspondence,
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literally swimming in his words and memories,
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while simultaneously creating this new connection with
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Apollo. It's like she's having this
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ongoing conversation with the past while
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building a bridge to her future.
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Jessica: Well, that must have been particularly challenging to portray
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on screen, especially since the original novel was
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so internal and abstract.
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Chris: You're absolutely right. And what's remarkable is how they
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managed to externalize all that internal struggle.
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Like when Apollo just lies there, head down, waiting
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by the door. It's heartbreaking precisely because
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it's so true to how dogs actually
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process loss. No
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anthropomorphizing needed.
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Jessica: The production design really adds to that authenticity, doesn't
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it? The way Iris apartment
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gradually transforms to accommodate Apollo speaks
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volumes about her own transformation.
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Chris: That's such a crucial detail. The M space
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becomes this visual representation of how grief
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changes us. At first it's this
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perfectly organized, cat friendly space. But
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as Apollo becomes part of her life, it
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evolves into something different. Not better
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or worse, just fundamentally changed. Just
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like Iris herself.
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Jessica: So what do you think makes this story resonate so deeply with
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audiences?
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Chris: I think it's because it captures something universal about
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how healing rarely follows the path we expect.
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Here's this woman, who's not even a dog person,
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breaking the rules of her building to care for this
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enormous dog she never wanted. And through that
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unexpected connection, both she and Apollo
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find a way forward. It's like the universe has
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this strange sense of humor, giving us
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exactly what we need in the form of what we think
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we don't want.
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Jessica: That's beautifully put. It's really about how
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loss can transform into something new, isn't it?
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Chris: Exactly. And maybe that's the most profound
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thing about this film. It shows us how grief
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can lead us to places we never expected to go. And
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how sometimes the most meaningful connections in our lives
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come disguised as inconveniences
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or obligations. Through Iris and
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Apollo's story, we see how loss doesn't
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just end things. It can also be the beginning of
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something we never could have imagined. We're giving
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the friend a score of 7 out of 10.
