Movie Review: Just Friends
Nov 23, 2005 - Lynn Barker
Have you been stuck in "the friend zone"? Were you ever crushin' on a friend who told you all about their dating heartaches and triumphs when you were secretly dying to get that friend to see you as date material? Just about everybody can answer 'yes' so this is the movie for you!
Just Friends begins with high schooler Chris (Ryan Reynolds), a huge, geeky guy who is crushin' majorly on his best friend since childhood, Jamie (Amy Smart). They are graduating and there is a big yearbook signing party. Of course the jocks are there making fun of Chris who is determined to tell Jamie once and for all, that he loves her. Also hot after Jamie is stringy-haired, pimple-faced loser Dusty (Chris Klein) who writes dorky songs and tries to sing one to her but is too nervous. It's all a big wash for poor, depressed Chris who leaves town to make a life for himself, leaving everyone in New Jersey behind.
Ten years later, Chris has lost weight and is a babe-magnet junior record producer in L.A. who is ordered to sign Samantha James (Anna Faris) a Britney/Ashlee clone who is crazy, tone deaf and lives a wild Courtney Love lifestyle. She and Chris once went out so there's an awkward history there. The troublemaking no-talent talks Chris into taking her to Paris so she can "create" for the holidays but their plane has to make an emergency landing in New Jersey. Chris reluctantly goes to visit his family and friends with snooty Samantha in tow.





