By Tony Beal

IN THEATERS
Friendship
A biting descent into madness, wrapped in cringe comedy.

In Friendship, the veneer of suburban normalcy is stripped away with manic glee. What begins as a neighborly bond soon spirals into an unraveling of identity and reality, with Tim Robinson channeling the chaotic energy of his sketch persona into a feature-length tragedy of errors. Paul Rudd and Kate Mara complement his unraveling with performances steeped in quiet melancholy, as if everyone in this world is a little broken but laughing through the cracks. The humor teeters on the edge of delusion, and director Andrew DeYoung captures that balance with a confident, fresh visual language. There’s a carefully calibrated insanity here — absurd but grounded — that keeps you hooked through its brisk runtime. Friendship is a bizarre, sad, and wholly entertaining ride, and one of the year’s most unique tonal achievements.

Clown in a Cornfield
A bloody good time with just enough bite.

Eli Craig returns to the director’s chair with Clown in a Cornfield, a self-aware slasher that flirts with satire but never forgets to thrill. Yes, the meta-commentary occasionally grates and it rarely aims to terrify, but once the body count starts climbing, the film shifts into high gear. The kills are creative, the pacing tight, and the characters — while lightly sketched — are engaging enough to root for. There’s even a whiff of social commentary, though it barely lingers. Still, as a genre piece, it delivers where it counts. Craig hasn’t lost his touch for horror-comedy with a pulse.

A Working Man
A gritty premise undercut by narrative sprawl.

A Working Man wants to be more than your average revenge thriller, but that ambition proves to be its undoing. While Jason Statham does exactly what you’d expect — and does it well — the film clutters his journey with half-hearted subplots and unnecessary world-building. The core story, of a worker turned vigilante in pursuit of his employer’s kidnapped daughter, works fine on its own. But added threads involving a criminal syndicate and a superfluous supporting turn from David Harbour leave the film feeling overstuffed and unfocused. The action delivers, but the momentum falters. A leaner, meaner cut might’ve been something special.

Warfare
Technically impressive, emotionally hollow.

Directed by newcomer Ray Mendoza with guidance from Alex Garland, Warfare brings visual polish and a simmering tone to the war genre. Unfortunately, the script can’t match the strength of its presentation. There’s a deliberate, almost haunting quiet in the film’s first act — a meditation on anticipation and fear — but the subsequent descent into chaos lacks emotional depth. The film gestures toward nuance but doesn’t engage with it fully, especially in its depiction of the Iraqi civilians, who remain largely unseen and unexplored. While the cast gives committed performances, the script offers them little to elevate. Warfare aspires to say something profound about the cost of conflict, but its message is muddled in execution.

NEW RELEASES
May 1
Another Simple Favor (Amazon Prime Video)

May 2
Thunderbolts
Shadow Force
The Surfer

May 9
Friendship
Clown In A Cornfield
Fight Or Flight
Juliet & Romeo
Nonnas (Netflix)

May 16
Final Destination: Bloodlines
Hurry Up Tomorrow
Next Sohee
The Ruse

May 23
Lilo & Stitch
Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning
The Last Rodeo
Fear Street: Prom Queen (Netflix)

May 30
Bring Her Back
Karate Kid: Legends
The Phoenican Scheme (Limited)