We all have guilty pleasures. Of course, mine would be movies, but the fun part is enjoying those movies most people hate or can’t stand. I have a list of guilty pleasures, but those could change at any moment, and there are still a handful of films that didn’t make the top 10. Just Friends is one of those.
If you have never seen Just Friends, you would have been just like my wife, who didn’t like the film, to say the least. This movie stars Ryan Reynolds and Amy Smart in the lead roles, but the supporting cast includes Chris Kline and Chris Marquette. My least favourite person in the film is Anna Faris. I try to avoid any movie she’s in, but I can tolerate her in Just Friends because her character is stupid and psychotic, probably what she’s like in real life.
I love the story arc in this one. Reynold’s character was a lovable fat guy in high school with a crush on his best friend (Smart). After a complete life makeover and relocation to California, Reynolds turns into a hot guy and wants to tell his best friend how he’s felt this entire time. Of course, this should be easy, but no comedy would be complete without an hour and a half physical pain and emotional struggles.
Reynolds returns home after a plane incident and is forced to spend a disaster of a week in New Jersey. One mistake after another and to say his vacation was a trainwreck is an understatement. However, I can still sit back and laugh at his misfortunes.
When it comes to most Reynolds films, I find myself either liking or disliking them, never landing in the middle. His role in Just Friends is one of my favourites, right there with Van Wilder. I don’t own this movie but would totally grab it out of the bargain bin if it was there. 8/10
Ten Stars or Less 