Just Friends (DVD, 2006)

What can I say? This movie eerily taps into the most awkward and frustrating experience a guy could deal with in his life. Atleast us guys with a heart and conscience. For a while I didn't want to see this movie because I thought it'd just be another stupid romantic comedy. Oh no! I actually felt myself sliding down into my chair with embarassment. I kept thinking "...oh my God, that was me."

The movie portrays a shy, over weight but affectionate doofus named Chris Brander who's in love with his best "friend" Jaime. And like any typical awkward high school boy, he's all about her but she just can't see it. He is caught in what the movie dub's "The Friend Zone". They did everything that a couple would do together except without all the intimacy. Typical. I like to call it the "surrogate boyfriend syndrome" myself. He tries to tell her with a heart felt message he wrote in her year book but is cruelly thwarted and embarrassed by the football jock who reads what he wrote infront his peers. Obviously humiliated, he runs off.

The movie than picks up some 10 years later. Chris is now a slimmed down, handsome version of his former self, a very successful music exec in Los Angeles. He currently uses what he painfully learned to get any woman he wants with an almost formulaic approach. He didn't exactly become a complete A-Hole, but he's not the fun loving doofus any more either. Quite honestly, can you blame him? He is than told by his boss that he has to chaperone a new singing "talent" to Europe to build up her diva status. Not only is she a terrible singer, spoiled and completely insane but also happens to be his ex girlfriend Samantha. Needless to say he's not happy about this.

After a malfunction, their plane is ironically diverted to his hometown in New Jersey. While delayed, Chris figures he might as well visit with his friends and family while having his spoiled nutcase of an ex tag along. One of the highlights of the movie was the banter between Chris and his smart ass and very vulgar younger brother Mike. I couldn't get enough of those two. Later he decides to go to a local bar to which he runs into some old friends and yep, his old high school love interest Jaime. You don't need to be a psychologist to figure out where this is going.

Through out the film Chris tries to impress Jaime as if she were just another L.A. floozy with his success and arrogant attitude. Unfortunately for him, she isn't even remotely impressed because she's still the down-to-Earth-girl-next door type. And what's worse is that he now has to compete with another old high school classmate who also had a crush on Jaime named (and I love this name) Dusty Dinkleman. Dusty was also an awkward boy at the time but also went through some dramitic changes himself. A paramedic who comes off as a sweet guitar playing philanthropist, taking Chris's thunder away when it comes to Jaime.

Without giving too much away, antic's between the two wanna-be lovers clash making Chris look bad at every turn. It just makes you laugh out loud. You really can't get enough of it. Eventually everything works out and life goes on. It's a movie after all. Ryan Reynolds is a great comedy actor and best fit this roll. I loved this movie because it simply did two things right. It was extremely funny and was all too easy to relate to. That's because I was Chris Brander. Only my story didn't end as happily as his. But life goes on right?

When this showed up in the mail I thought it was going to be really dumb. But it was actually a pretty good movie. It actually has a story and funny characters. Ryan Reynolds stars as an ex geek once in love with his best friend from high school played by Amy Smart. After high school he becomes a big shot record exec. and returns home about 10 years later due to a microwave explosion on the company private plane caused by his ditsy rock star wanna be girl friend. He meets up again with his high school crush and all hell ensues. Don't miss the Christmas light scene, I hadn't laughed so hard since I saw the 40 Year Old Virgin. Two thumbs up.

Truly an eye-opening romantic comedy. Ryan Reynolds hits his part out of the park! Anna Faris (Saturday Night Live) has had my wife singing "Forgiveness...is more than sayin' Sorry!" since the first time we saw the movie over a year ago. She plays an over-the-top celebrity (I think a parody of Britney Spears); everything she does from her actions and communication with everyone else is hilarious!

I won't give anything away, but this is a warm-felt movie about a guy that had a rough time growing up (overweight) and kids teased him. Eventually, he became an assistant to a big-time executive with a recording company, lost the weight, and became somewhat egotistical until he had to make an emergency stop in his hometown and found his high-school crush working in the town bar...

Watch it! It will definitely make you laugh! I bought it for my wife on the anniversary of the day we met...every time we have a little argument or discussion, she cuddles up to me and starts singing "Forgiveness, is more than sayin' Sorry!"

Very funny movie! You have Ryan Reynolds (from Van Wilder, Two Guys and a Girl), Amy Smart (The Butterfly Effect), Chris Klein (American Pie, Rollerball), and Anna Faris (Scary Movie series) starring in this movie. All four are funny in their own way. You have Anna Faris character who is a crazy pop star, Ryan Reynolds who is the use to be chubby kid from high school, Chris Klein use to be nerdy musican, and Amy Smart plays the girl the two guys are fighting over. All of them do a great job. There are many scenes that you laugh out loud during. Some romantic parts also.

The DVD also includes some great special features which include Nine Behind-the-scenes featurettes, "Jamie Smiles" music video, Deleted scenes, and of course a funny Blooper Reel. I would suggest to anyone to see this movie. There is just about something for everyone!

This movie is smart, funny, witty, engaging flick and it ends with a happy ending!! Great Christmas movie for adults. The humor is for adults mostly. There is a little bit of everything to this story. Fat, loner, semi-loser nerd that grows up to a successful, athletic music executive, returns home unexpectedly with a pop star psycho that he is responsible for. Great side stories and bit characters (old friends, younger brother, Rusty...) Really Really funny. Each time I watch it I catch another funny bit that I previously overlooked. It's silly silly lowbrow humor. And Amy Smart is cute as hell! Ryan Reynolds, who I typically do not like, is very funny. This is similar to A Christmas Story in my house. Each year, we watch it several times. Enjoy.