Just Friends [2005]

EMM# : 13493
Added: 2016-01-22

Just Friends (2005)
Some friends are just friends. Others you get to see naked.

Rating: 6.2

Movie Details:

Genre: Comedy (Romance)

Length: 1 h 34 min - 94 min

Video: 1280x720 (23.976 Fps - 796 Kbps)

Studio: Inferno Distribution| Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs...(cut)

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Chris Brander has always been friends with Jamie Palamino, but now decides it is time to take his relationship to the next step. The problem is that Jamie still wants to be 'Just Friends'. When he runs away and moves to L.A., he becomes an attractive music manager, whom everyone wants. When his jet catches fire and is forced to land, when flying to Paris with his newest singing sensation, Samantha James, he ends up back home. To his surprise, he encounters Jamie again, and sets out to be more than 'Just Friends' this time. Written by

Plot Synopsis:
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Chris Brander (Reynolds), an obese high school student in a suburban community in New Jersey, is in love with his best friend, Jamie Palamino (Smart). In 1995, on the night of their high school graduation, Chris attends Jamie's graduation party, and confesses his feelings to her by writing them in her yearbook; when he tries to return her yearbook to her, however, it is swiped by Jamie's ex-boyfriend Tim (Ty Olsson) and he reads it aloud at the party. Chris is then publicly humiliated when she doesn't reciprocate his feelings, instead giving him a kiss on the cheek and saying she loves him like a brother. After Jamie yells at their classmates for making fun of him, Chris storms away humiliated from the party on his bicycle, vowing to leave town and become more successful than all of them.

Ten years later, Chris is handsome and successful with a thriving career as a record producer in Los Angeles and a reputation as a ferocious womanizer. Just before Christmas, his boss (Stephen Root) orders him to take up-and-coming pop singer Samantha James (Anna Faris) to Paris so that she will sign with their company. Chris goes reluctantly, as he has a history with the self-obsessed James. On the duo's "business" trip to Paris, Samantha sets her private jet on fire by neglecting to remove the aluminum foil from her microwave dinner. This necessitates an emergency landing in New Jersey, not far from Chris's hometown. He takes her to his mother's house for the night, causing him to face the humiliating high school years he left behind and his unresolved feelings for Jamie.

Stepping out to the local bar, Chris runs into some old friends, including Jamie, who is working her way through graduate school as a bartender. Thinking that he can finally get his high school love out of his system, Chris plans to woo and seduce Jamie. However, a number of unexpected problems and the growing realization that his friendship with Jamie actually did mean something to him keep getting in the way. He bonds with Jamie on several occasions. But Dusty Lee Dinkleman, an even nerdier kid in school has now become a successful musician, and plans to have sex with Jamie and publicly humiliate her like she did to him when she told him she didn't like him. Jamie and Dusty bond and eventually he turns her against Chris when Samantha destroys Jamie's family's Christmas decorations thinking that Chris was sleeping with Jamie behind her back (she thinks that she and Chris are in a relationship). Angry and disappointed with Jamie and her family, Chris returns to LA only to realize that Jamie is the one for him. He leaves for his hometown again, goes to Jamie's house, and declares his love for her. And the film ends with some neighborhood kids watching Jamie and Chris kiss and a little boy gives one of the girls a cookie he made for her and she says "Thanks, you're a good friend'" suggesting that he may go through the same experience.

(Source: WikiPedia. Bangs_McCoy)

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Space814 from Typical Generic Suburb, USA
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...the "Friend Zone." We've all been in Chris, the main character's, shoes.

The storyline isn't deep - and it's not intended to be. The plot is simple: Guy secretly pines for his best friend, but he's chubby and considered nothing but a friend. After graduating high school, he goes to L.A. to pursue a career, slims down and becomes wealthy and then surprisingly returns home to N.J. only to reunite with his former unrequited love. Despite how successful Chris is in his new life, at his core he's the same and the object of his affection still makes him nervous. Does he pull his head out of his butt and win the girl or does he go back to L.A.? I won't spoil it. But I will say this - See this movie. It's full of laughs and we can all relate to Chris. His family dynamics are hilarious and I guarantee you'll think, if you have siblings, "I've done that". See this flick for entertainment, not for the answer to life's greatest questions. Expect nothing and enjoy everything.

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vipher20 from United States
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My fiance and I went and saw this movie the other day and thought it was great! The humor was well-placed and it was great to see Ryan Reynolds in a movie where he wasn't surrounded by tasteless humor every 5 minutes. Me and my fiance both agreed that the funniest bit throughout the whole movie was the relationship between Reynolds character and his brother. The slap-fights were great and the one moment of brotherly love was simply hilarious. If you're tired of the raunchy humor of the likes of 40-Year Old Virgin and want a good movie for a date or just as a stand alone movie, this one is great. It's got so many things in it that make it wonderful: Tasteful witty humor, good plot, puts you in the Christmas spirit (but also works as a non-seasonal movie), and gives props to any guy who's been put in the "Friend-zone". My fiance came out of the movie and said "That makes me feel bad about all the guys I've told them I 'just want to be friends'". So there you go guys--if you got a girl you're crushing on and you think you might be in the "Friend-zone" with her, take her to this movie (even if it's just a "friendly date"). It may break the ice and she could see what kind of girl she's being. I found my 'one and only', but I've been in the friend-zone several times, so I was able to relate to this movie in many ways.

This is just an all around feel-good movie. I was very happy with the 14 bucks I spent on this flick.

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Kristine (kristinedrama14@msn.com) from Chicago, Illinois
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"Just Friends" is one of the best romantic comedies I have seen in a long time, but my only problem was on how it ended because it seemed like it just wanted to get it done and over with. But I could relate to Amy Smart's character in some ways, so being able to be in touch with the film I think helped a great deal. Also, I loved the jokes! Anna Farris is one of my favorite comedic actresses, she knows how to carry a joke and make her character so funny! She's just a hoot in this film! Amy and Ryan looked so cute together in this film and the jokes are non stop. The love story is also very touching and I think a ton of people could relate to it. So, I would highly recommend this film for a good laugh and a touching one at that. So, sit back and enjoy!

8/10

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relicdude36 from United States
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I found this film to have great chemistry. They had Ryan Reynold, playing a former obese guy which i found particularly pecant, and Anna Ferris as a creepy, "Paris Hilton" stalker, which was great because she added a lot of comedy to the film. Also the gags were classic, and reminded me of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, which is one of my favorites, not to mention being somewhat similar to Van Wilder, in its attempt to Woo a woman while having a "nemesis" in the way of his goal along with Ryan's own personal problems with his past, and dealing with his brother, his "former" crazed girlfriend, and his out of touch mom (just kind of naive to things going on). All in all, i found this movie to be a great comedy that i would like to see again at the theaters. Its a classic holiday flick in my opinion.

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sammysmee from United Kingdom
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I went to see this movie to pass the time, but it is now probably one of the most entertaining comedies i have seen in a long long time. The Cast is rich and the slapstick comedy is hilarious!

Chris is totally in love with his best friend Jamie, but she does not return his feelings. Chris is the put down insecure kid because of his weight. 10 years on hes slim, sexy, rich and confident however he is now an arrogant womaniser, probably fuelled by his unlucky past. He returns home with Ditzy Popstar Samantha (batently a Britney spears mimic) who is one of the main contributers to the comedy, (the scene with the toothpaste is hilarious)

He bumps into Jamie who is amazed to see Chris, but when they go on dates he puts on a "cool boy" front and Jamie doesn't like it, she wants her original "fat" Chris back.

The movie goes on from here, many mishaps and slapstick fights with his hilarious younger brother, and his rivalry for Jamies heart (Chris Klein) Dusty.

I left the cinema laughing, not one dull moment in this movie. However if your a 'hardcore' movie goer who is choosy about plot quality you may not like this. Others who are looking to be cheered up are going to love this Cracker of a Comedy!

Ryan Reynolds is set to be the next Jim Carrey or better!

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tommykins from Chicago
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I don't understand some of the brutal reviews that this movie has been getting. Ebert gave it a 'D'. He wanted to focus on Reynold's character losing the weight. Seeing as Roger's always been a chubby guy, that's important to him, but it would have made for more of a more expected plot line. My opinion is closer to Entertainment Weekly's 'B+'. Sure, it's a light romantic comedy, but the performances of Anna Faris and Ryan Reynolds alone are worth the price of admission. I thought the characters were all well-played and the dialog moved the movie along faster than its 96 minutes running time. An excellent date movie. Also, a good movie to see with that person that you're trying to get out of the "friend's zone" because you'll end up talking about the movie afterwords.

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MovieManMenzel from United States
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"Just Friends" is about a guy named Chris (Ryan Reynolds) who in high school was an overweight but caring, sweet, and likable guy. Chris wanted to date his best friend Jamie (Amy Smart) but they never did because she wanted to just be friends and date the cool guys. Ten years later, Chris sheds all his weight and is now a big time record producer touring with the hottest pop star Samantha James (Anna Faris). While on their plane to Paris, Chris and Samantha's plane has to make an emergency landing and the plane lands near Chris's old home town. To make matters worst, Chris winds up going into the bar where he runs into his old crush Jamie. So does Chris have what it takes for Jamie and him to be more than just friends?

"Just Friends" is not a great movie by any means but a likable romantic comedy. Sure the movie is predictable but it's a fun and ultimately sweet movie. I actually like the fact that the movie had a nice message in the end which basically said "be yourself and it will pay off in the end." The jokes for the most part worked for me because they were all pretty innocent and didn't really rely on sex gags to sell the movie.

I did however get annoyed by the amount of gay jokes in the film which like I always say are never really that funny and get old very fast. I understand as much as I rant about gay jokes there not going to stop but let's hope that they can be limited. There is only one gay joke in the entire film that works, while there are about 10 in the entire film.

As far as acting goes, I must say it's about time that Ryan Reynolds stars in a decent movie!!! I have been waiting for years to actually go into a theater and see something of his that doesn't totally suck! You see I always wanted to like him but most of the material he has done just didn't appeal to me and every time I saw a movie he was in, I hated it with a passion. I think this role worked for him because he had to play a likable character and while many will say he always plays a likable character I say that he always plays the same sarcastic cool guy character. This role allowed him to still be his normal character for some part but also a likable character as well. Mr. Reynolds has finally gotten out of his box and played a role that wasn't tailor made for him.

As for the rest of the cast, Amy Smart was also very likable as the best friend Jamie. She was honestly a very sweet and caring person and you really wanted her to date Chris at least in the beginning. Anna Faris who again plays the same character in every movie did play her "typical" airhead role. But she played a stereotypical brainless pop star and played it perfectly. And while I must admit I do like pop music, I found her whole performance hilarious. She basically played Jessica Simpson in the movie and there are a few jokes that really imply that's who they were mocking.

The reason I think I actually enjoyed this film was that I could relate to the characters. The main character Chris was like a few people in high school including myself, a really nice guy who was friends with a lot of very pretty girls but never moved past that point because of their image or how they were perceived in school wouldn't allow them to be more than just friends. And while the movie doesn't really seem realistic it is made by Hollywood, which at times gives people a chance to believe that the underdog will come out on top. "Just Friends" isn't going for a Best Picture nomination or even trying to be original but it does a decent job of what its suppose to do and that is provide jokes and some romance which the film does and does it very well.

All in all, "Just Friends" is a guilty pleasure film. It's not one that will do well at box office or be liked by everyone (most critics gave it rather poor reviews) but I don't think it was a film created for critics but a specific limited audience. And while the film's marketing makes this film look like a typical teen movie, I feel it's a bit more mature than that even though some of the characters in the film are almost childlike. Overall "Just Friends" shows how important it is to be yourself and act mature. It is also proof that Ryan Reynolds can play a different character and is actually good at it. As long as you don't go into the theater expecting a film that is original and thought-provoking you should be fine because this movie is a decent holiday romantic comedy that both guys and girls alike can enjoy.

MovieManMenzel's final rating for "Just Friends" is a 7/10 and it will be added to my guilty pleasure section of my DVD collection when it is released on DVD in a few months.

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xtraordinary4020
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I just saw this movie, and it is hands down funny. The humor outweighed some of the plot flaws that the critics so eloquently exploited, but IT YOU WANT TO LAUGH, GO SEE THIS MOVIE. All of the actors are excellent, the story isn't one you have to think about, and best of all its about love and revenge, who can't relate to that? Not only will this movie keep you laughing, it will catch you off guard with some of the more serious moments that fuels the comedy. I would have to say that this film definitely comes close to Wedding Crashers and the 40-Year Old Virgin. New Line definitely has released a little gem with this one, finally a reason to return to the movie theaters.

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wmg1299 from United States
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This is funny film that you can see with anyone. The humor is universal and hits home with anyone who's ever had any sort of dating relationship. The best thing is that the laughs come from hilarious situations that you could explain to your parents without feeling uncomfortable. This is one of the few funny movies I've seen recently that avoids any crude toilet or sexual humor, and gets it's laughs from simple social situations. I loved American Pie, but would feel weird discussing the funny parts with anyone I didn't know very well. This movie deserves more credit for humor derived strictly from believable social situations.

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lexxweb from United States
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Just Friends is a very good comedy to go see during the holidays. It takes off with a hilarious start but gets a little weak during the last 10 minutes, however the rest is hilarious! Anna Farris is the funniest crazy girl since Isla Fisher (the red head who played Gloria Cleary in Wedding Crashers) She does a very good job of coming off as a Paris Hilton mixed with Ashlee Simpson! Too funny! If you like romantic comedies (no this is not a chick flick) then this will be perfect for you! Chris's younger brother also does a nice performance of making sure his older brother Chris is well informed that he is a loser that can't "boink" the girl of his dreams while trying to get-it-on with Sam (the crazy girl played by Anna Farris) Either way, this movie appeals to all in need of a good laugh this holiday season. Do Not Miss It!

AKAs Titles:

Certifications:
Australia:M / Brazil:12 / Canada:PG (Ontario) / Finland:K-11 / Germany:6 / Iceland:L / Ireland:12A / Malaysia:U / Malaysia:18SX / Netherlands:MG6 / Portugal:M/12 / Singapore:NC-16 / South Korea:15 / Sweden:15 / UK:12A / USA:PG-13 (certificate #41931)