It’s easy to look at a film’s synopsis and immediately think you know what you’re about to see, especially when it comes to features about a person dealing with a terminal illness and how that might affect their relationships. But “Our Friend” isn’t just your run-of-the-mill film about a devastating illness.
With “Our Friend” arriving at the end of the week, we’re happy to give our readers an exclusive look at a clip from the film. And in that clip, you can see for yourself just what separates the film from other films of this ilk. Namely, you can see how two of the three stars, Casey Affleck and Dakota Johnson, are doing such great work that you can’t help but feel the emotion that comes along with the simultaneous joy and heartbreak that is present in “Our Friend.”
“Our Friend” is based on a true story about a family dealing with a terminal cancer diagnosis. But another way in which the film stands apart from other projects with similar premises is the fact that this feature takes a look at the power of friendship, as the family’s best friend (Jason Segel) comes in at their time of need to help carry the load for the married couple and their young daughters.
The new drama is directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, who is probably best known for her 2013 documentary, “Blackfish.” We were able to catch “Our Friend” when it played at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival (back when it was titled, “The Friend”). And in our review, we said, “There can be a sense of skepticism or even dread circling every next movie about a person with cancer — because it’s devastating but also, in terms of the films supposedly pushing this industry forward, rather than just jogging on the spot, it can feel like it’s been done so many times before. Thankfully, ‘The Friend’ finds so much to live for — the special nature of the Teagues’ relationship with Dane asks a braver question about friendship through trauma.”
“Our Friend” debuts in select theaters and VOD, courtesy of Gravitas Ventures and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, on January 22. You can watch the exclusive clip from the film below.
Here’s the synopsis:
OUR FRIEND tells the inspiring and extraordinary true story of the Teague family—journalist Matt (Casey Affleck), his vibrant wife Nicole (Dakota Johnson) and their two young daughters—and how their lives are upended by Nicole’s heartbreaking diagnosis of terminal cancer. As Matt’s responsibilities as caretaker and parent become increasingly overwhelming, the couple’s best friend Dane Faucheux (Jason Segel) offers to come and help out. As Dane puts his life on hold to stay with his friends, the impact of this life altering decision proves greater and more profound than anyone could have imagined.