If you loved
My Friends
Film · 1975
What hooked you in My Friends was the way the camaraderie of aging men serves as a shield against existential dread.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
Matthew Perry · Book · 2022
Explores: Addiction, Recovery, Fame.
Like the characters in My Friends, Matthew Perry navigates the complexities of midlife with a mixture of humor and raw vulnerability, highlighting how friendship acts as a crucial lifeline during recovery.
Little Critter
Mercer Mayer · Book · 1975
Explores: Childhood, Mischief, Family Life.
While much younger than the protagonists of My Friends, the mischievous spirit and constant search for everyday adventure mirror the lighthearted, prank-filled escapism that drives the narrative of the film.
Ghost Story
Peter Straub · Book · 1979
Shares a thread with My Friends: Male Friendship.
This story mirrors the central male friendship found in My Friends, though it trades the comedic midlife crisis for a darker exploration of how past trauma binds a group together.
Different Seasons
Stephen King · Book · 1982
Explores: Friendship, Loss of Innocence, Injustice.
You will recognize the deep bonds of male friendship from My Friends here, as these narratives similarly examine the weight of shared history and the inevitable loss of youthful innocence.
Series on the same thread
The Trip
Michael Winterbottom · Series · 2010
Shares 2 threads with My Friends: Male Friendship, Midlife Crisis.
This series is the spiritual successor to My Friends, capturing the exact same dynamic of two men attempting to outrun their midlife crises through travel, food, and endless, bickering banter.
My Brilliant Friend
Saverio Costanzo · Series · 2018
Explores: Female Friendship, Childhood, Memory.
While My Friends focuses on men, this story offers a parallel look at how friendship functions as the primary lens through which we process memory, social class, and personal identity.
Smiling Friends
Michael Cusack · Series · 2020
Shares a thread with My Friends: Dark Comedy.
The clash between cynicism and optimism in this series echoes the tone of My Friends, where disparate personalities are forced to navigate the absurdity of their existence through constant misadventure.
The Golden Girls
Susan Harris · Series · 1985
Explores: Female Friendship, Aging, Found Family.
Much like the group in My Friends, these women rely on their found family to navigate the challenges of aging, proving that humor is the best defense against life's uncertainties.
Podcasts on the same thread
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
Team Coco & Earwolf · Podcast · 2026
Explores: parasocial relationships, professional intimacy, self-deprecating humor.
Conan explores the same themes of male loneliness and the difficulty of forming authentic connections that the characters in My Friends attempt to mask with their elaborate, performative pranks.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: mental health awareness, female friendship, coping mechanisms.
The bond in this podcast mirrors the way the group in My Friends uses shared storytelling and dark humor as a coping mechanism to navigate the anxieties of their daily lives.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is My Friends based on a book?
Yes, there is a book titled My Friends published in 2025. This book serves as the source material for the 1975 movie My Friends, which depicts four inseparable friends managing their midlife crisis through various pranks and daytrips.
Should I read the book My Friends before watching the 1975 movie?
The movie My Friends is an adaptation of the book titled My Friends. You can choose to read the 2025 book before or after watching the 1975 film, as both versions cover the story of four inseparable friends facing their midlife crisis.
What is the premise of My Friends?
The story of My Friends follows four inseparable friends who cope with their midlife crisis by going on daytrips and playing pranks. Their behavior often comes at the expense of their families and the people they encounter throughout their daily lives.
Is My Friends a movie or a book?
My Friends exists as both a 1975 movie and a 2025 book. The movie portrays four inseparable friends dealing with midlife crises through pranks and travel, while the book serves as the source material for the adaptation.