What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedMy Friends
Film · 1975
If you loved My Friends, start with My Friends (Fredrik Backman, 2025) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to My Friends across media.
What hooked you in My Friends is the way you see lifelong companions use immature antics and dark humor to navigate their midlife crises.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck · Book · 1994
Explores: The American Dream, Friendship, Loneliness.
Like the characters in My Friends, these men rely on a deep bond to endure their harsh reality, though the tragedy here replaces the levity of your favorite film.
The Old Devils
Kingsley Amis · Book · 2012
Explores: Aging, Marriage, Friendship.
This story mirrors the booze-soaked camaraderie of My Friends, capturing that specific blend of aging, resentment, and lingering nostalgia that defines long-term male friendship in your favorite movie.
Between Friends
Amos Oz · Book · 2014
Explores: Interpersonal Relationships, Community Dynamics, Idealism vs. Reality.
If you enjoyed the complex social dynamics in My Friends, this look at community members struggling with intimacy and disappointment will resonate with your interest in complicated interpersonal bonds.
Little Critter
Mercer Mayer · Book · 1975
Explores: Childhood, Mischief, Family Life.
While much younger than the group in My Friends, this tale of everyday adventures and mischief captures the same spirit of escapism through lighthearted, often chaotic, group outings.
Series on the same thread
The Trip
Michael Winterbottom · Series · 2010
Shares 2 threads with My Friends: Male Friendship, Midlife Crisis.
This travelogue perfectly matches the road trip structure of My Friends, highlighting how male friendship persists through midlife insecurity, constant banter, and the refusal to fully grow up.
My Brilliant Friend
Saverio Costanzo · Series · 2018
Explores: Female Friendship, Childhood, Memory.
The reflection on a lifelong connection in this series mirrors the intensity of the bond seen in My Friends, focusing on how memory and friendship shape our adult identities.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Series · 2005
Explores: Dysfunctional Friendship, Moral Bankruptcy, Sociopathy.
These characters share the same moral bankruptcy and penchant for pranks found in My Friends, proving that even dysfunctional friendships can provide a strange, dark sense of belonging.
The Golden Girls
Susan Harris · Series · 1985
Explores: Female Friendship, Aging, Found Family.
This series captures the found family dynamic present in My Friends, focusing on how a tight-knit circle of friends provides the necessary support to navigate the challenges of aging.
Podcasts on the same thread
Prends Un Break
Podcast
Explores: Humor, Brotherhood, Friendship.
If the brotherhood in My Friends was your favorite element, this podcast offers a similar raw, conversational look at the humor and closeness that defines genuine male friendship.
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
Team Coco & Earwolf · Podcast · 2026
Explores: parasocial relationships, professional intimacy, self-deprecating humor.
Much like the men in My Friends, Conan explores the intersection of professional life and personal connection, searching for the same authentic camaraderie you admired in the film.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is My Friends based on a book?
Yes, there is a book titled My Friends released in 2025. While the 1975 movie focuses on four friends navigating midlife crises through pranks and daytrips, the book serves as a literary adaptation of the same core themes and character dynamics found in the original film.
Should I watch the 1975 My Friends before reading the 2025 book?
You can consume either version of My Friends first. The 1975 movie depicts four friends facing midlife crises through elaborate pranks, while the 2025 book offers an adaptation of this narrative. Reading or watching them in either order will provide the same context for these characters.
What is the plot of My Friends?
My Friends follows four inseparable individuals who attempt to cope with their midlife crises. They spend their time embarking on various daytrips and executing pranks that frequently target their own families and the people they encounter throughout their daily lives.
Is My Friends a movie or a book?
My Friends exists in both formats. There is a 1975 movie about four friends coping with midlife crises through pranks, and a 2025 book that serves as an adaptation. Both versions explore the same central premise regarding the group's behavior toward their families and others.