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    Movie Review

    The Assistant points quiet fire at misconduct in the MeToo era

    Alex Bentley
    Feb 14, 2020 | 1:05 pm
    The Assistant points quiet fire at misconduct in the MeToo era
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    There has been plenty of fallout in the entertainment industry following the #MeToo movement, with bold-faced names like Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and John Lasseter all being hit with allegations of sexual misconduct. While movies about those particular men may be forthcoming, the exploits of a similar fictional person are taken on in The Assistant.

    Jane (Julia Garner) is a low-level assistant in an unnamed movie production company office, tasked with doing all the menial tasks no one else wants to do. When we meet her, she’s doing seemingly normal office work, except for small details, like picking up an earring off the floor, cleaning a spot off her boss’ couch, or arranging a meeting with a nervous woman.

    As the film goes along, the audience essentially eavesdrops on a day in her life as an assistant. We hear conversations in a low volume that don’t allow us to catch every word, but provide just enough context to get the gist of the tone. And that tone is that everyone in the office — and beyond — knows exactly what type of man the boss is, but none of them have the guts to stand up to him to put a stop to his behavior.

    Written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Kitty Green, the film is light on plot but heavy on insinuation. Over and over again, Green demonstrates the toxic culture in which Jane works, whether it’s random new women being paraded into the boss’ office or coaching by her fellow assistants on the proper way to apologize after running afoul of him.

    It’s the particulars in the film that make it interesting, and also make it plausible that so many people can allow bad conduct to go unchecked. There’s nothing sexually overt shown in the film, but there’s no doubt as to what is going on. The power dynamic between the boss and his employees is crystal clear, and since each person has his or her own personal ambitions, they each have to do their own calculations on whether to push back on what they see and hear.

    As the protagonist, Jane appears to struggle the most with her conscience. She dutifully makes copies of a stack of photos of women, but also uses a bag labeled for toxic waste to dispose of a particularly disgusting bit of trash from her boss’ office. She has a defeated look on her face throughout, and it takes a fair bit of effort not to yell at her to stand up for what she knows is right.

    Garner makes for an ideal lead; she’s young and innocent-looking enough to fulfill the traits of the character, but strong enough an actor to say a lot with minimal words. Jon Orsini and Noah Robbins, who play her fellow assistants, complement her well, giving support and derision to her character in equal measure. Succession’s Matthew Macfadyen also has a great cameo as an infuriatingly condescending HR manager.

    Powerful men abusing their positions is far from a new idea, and they’ll continue to do so unless people are willing to do the right thing, regardless of how it affects them personally. The Assistant is compelling, and a clarion call for others to hold people in authority accountable for their actions.

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    The Assistant is playing exclusively at Angelika Film Center Dallas and Angelika Film Center Plano.

    Julia Garner in The Assistant.

    Julia Garner in The Assistant
      
    Photo by Ty Johnson / Bleecker Street
    Julia Garner in The Assistant.
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    Movie Review

    Dark comedy Friendship covers male bonding with copious cringing

    Alex Bentley
    May 16, 2025 | 4:16 pm
    Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in Friendship
    Photo courtesy of A24
    Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in Friendship.

    Comedian Tim Robinson has gained a cult following thanks to series like Detroiters and I Think You Should Leave, in which his brand of cringe comedy is on full display. The former Saturday Night Live writer/performer has had a few small movie roles over the years, but he’s now getting his first starring role in the off-kilter Friendship.

    Robinson plays Craig, a mild-mannered suburbanite with a wife, Tami (Kate Mara) and son, Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer). Craig has a boring life that involves little more than going to his middle manager job while wearing the same clothes day after day, anticipating the next Marvel movie, and helping Tami out with her at-home floral business.

    He gets a jolt of energy when Austin (Paul Rudd) moves into the neighborhood. The two men seem to hit it off, with Austin - a weatherman at a local TV channel - even taking Craig on a couple of impromptu adventures. But when Craig commits a couple of faux pas at a group gathering at Austin’s house, their bond starts to fracture.

    Even though the film is written and directed by Andrew DeYoung, it’s clear that Robinson had a big influence on the style of comedy it features. There are no big set pieces with a slew of jokes coming one after another. Instead, the film forces the audience to try to vibe with the very particular type of wavelength it’s giving off, one that could almost be called anti-comedy for the way the laughs come out of left field.

    The 100-minute film is full of random comedic moments, like Steven kissing Tami on the lips, Craig being obsessed with his plain brown clothes, a group sing-along, and more. More often than not, it’s the way Craig reacts to both normal and abnormal situations that gets the laughs. The character is needy and oblivious, two traits that combine to make many of his actions cringeworthy.

    Perhaps most importantly for this type of movie, there are many things in the story that go unexplained or don’t make sense. Seemingly crucial elements are brought up only to fade away just as quickly, while other parts that appeared to be throwaway sections get callbacks later in the film. DeYoung and Robinson are determined to keep the audience on their toes the entire time, never knowing what to expect next.

    Robinson has the perfect face for a story like this, one that’s bland enough to blend into the background but memorable enough to sell the jokes. His demeanor is also excellent, never becoming too expressive, even when he gets angry. With long hair, a mustache, and a certain swagger, Rudd is a great complement to Robinson. Only in a film like this would an everyman like Rudd be considered the suave and cool one.

    There will be some that will see Friendship and come away wondering what the hell they just watched. But anyone who goes in knowing that they’re about to witness a comedy that challenges their sensibilities will likely have a great time.

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    Friendship is now playing in select theaters.

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