Asking for a Friend

Starred review from December 6, 2021
Lies and past hurt upend a friend group in comedian Osho’s laugh-out-loud debut rom-com. To help aspiring actor Simi break her habit of falling in love too quickly, her two best friends agree to all find dates for each other. Talent agent Meagan, who represents Simi and whose life plan doesn’t include a relationship, is just along for the ride, while writer Jemima hopes to use the experiment as fodder for her next book. The trio perfectly balance each other even as Osho shows how their individual issues hold each of them back romantically: Simi, who has a troubled relationship with her father, must learn to trust her own judgment; Jemima keeps pushing away the handsome therapist who’s interested in her; and fiercely independent Meagan keeps her friend with benefits at arm’s length even when Meagan wants more. The women’s friendship takes a nosedive when Simi searches for a new agent without telling Meagan, Jemima uses her friends’ stories without their permission, and Meagan’s controlling behavior goes overboard. Can they save both friendship and the love they’ve found along the way? Osho navigates these strained relationships with emotional nuance and dry, sarcastic humor. With as much focus on platonic love as romantic, this paean to sisterhood and personal growth is sure to charm.