Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd on Squirmy Bro-Com

A leading purveyor of cringe comedy, he has successfully built a loyal following with his hit Netflix short series, I think you should Leadimension with Tim Robinsonthe show’s rubberface star/co-creator steps up his game with innocent title Friendsfashionablea delightfully unsettling portrait of male relationships that delivered some of the biggest laughs of the year.

In writer-director Andrew DeYoung’s fearless first film, Robinson walks the line between lovable goofball and creepy psychopath, playing a bumbling boy with a suburban father who, after being sheltered by a friendly neighbor, The behavior of ordinary people becomes short-circuited (Paul Rudd).

Of course, there is nothing wrong with treating Luther, who has always been playful, as an object of obsession. Rudd himself is no stranger to buddy romantic comedies, having starred in 2009’s i love you man, This feels like harmless fluff compared to DeYoung and Robinson’s no-holds-barred approach to the subject. “Midnight Madness” had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and should have no problem connecting with niche distributors.

At first glance, Robinson’s Craig Waterman seems to have a good life: He has a decent job as a project manager at a digital marketing company, a busy florist wife, Tammy (a deadpan Kate Mah) La), and their attentive teenage son Stevie (Jack Dylan Grazer). Granted, he has an odd sense of style, limited to products from a clothing company called Ocean View Dining, even down to his trusty oversized brown puffer jacket. He also suffered from untimely nosebleeds and was somewhat grumpy, known for saying things like, “Oh! I’m covered in water!”

But his ordinary life is upended when a misdelivered package takes him to the home of his new neighbor, Austin Carmichael (Rudd). Austin soon brought Craig into his social orbit, inviting him to see his rock band perform, go mushroom hunting, and take him on underground hikes through the abandoned aqueduct beneath City Hall.

When the budding relationship is halted by Craig’s disturbing obsessive behavior, Austin declares, “I don’t want to accept this friendship right now.” But he soon discovers that putting the cork back in the bottle isn’t that easy, and it can’t be avoidance setting the stage for an unpleasant showdown.

Before launching her groundbreaking Netflix series of the same name, Robinson teamed up with Steve Carell, Gene Wilder and Chris Farley to star as a satirical playwright and performer for several seasons. Identity emerges. saturday night live (2012-2016), which laid a solid foundation for his character building. He clearly knows he’s supposed to take the grieving Craig to the edge of weirdness before pulling him out in time to maintain the audience’s goodwill.

Luther plays more of a supporting role here, but nonetheless adds another memorable image to his roster of mischief makers that contrasts nicely with his wholesome good looks. His rough-around-the-edges version of Austin Carmichael is likely a parallel universe version host’s Bryan Fountain.

Writer-director DeYoung draws the best talent from the cast, opting for a pace that favors languor over frenzy. While this suits the character well, the film doesn’t offer much in the way of plot. Sometimes a more traditional, intense approach would have been better, especially in the final act.

Still, the Robinson/DeYoung duo’s joint arrival on the big screen promises a future that’s anything but sketchy for the pair.