63
Metascore
7 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88New York PostNew York PostAkhavan plays each change brilliantly in a film that is so tightly controlled that the mere glimpse of a new beard or a prayer mat being unrolled becomes a moment of horror.
- 70VarietyDeborah YoungVarietyDeborah YoungAfter a tedious start building up the boys' lives and friendship, feature bow by Elmar Fischer becomes deeply engrossing in its second half, as the viewer learns of the hero's anguish and doubts.
- 70Village VoiceVillage VoiceShot on DV, the film looks awful, but this homemade quality fosters an authenticity that allows for startling suspense as Yunes's secret life comes to light.
- 63New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanNew York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanActors do an excellent job portraying young people struggling with an almost manic paranoia.
- 60Chicago ReaderReece PendletonChicago ReaderReece PendletonThe film's elliptical structure seems little more than a device to compensate for the thin dramatic material, but it's saved by a fine ensemble cast and Akhavan's convincing transformation from a naive romantic to a disturbing reactionary.
- 60The New York TimesLawrence Van GelderThe New York TimesLawrence Van GelderSome may be offended by this film's use of Sept. 11 as a plot device, but ultimately The Friend is less concerned with the politics of terror than with its psychology.
- 60TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghTV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghIf his ambitious first feature isn't entirely successful, it nevertheless poses genuinely provocative questions and opens a window into the way the 9/11 disaster looks from outside the U.S.