Just Friends

Plot synopsis:
In 1995, Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) is an overweight high school student with a lisp, braces, and a "gentle giant" demeanor who secretly has a huge romantic crush on his classmate and best friend Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart). After confessing his feelings by writing them in Jamie's yearbook, he attends Jamie's graduation party. As he returns the yearbook to her, it is secretly swapped by her despicable ex-boyfriend, Tim (Ty Olsson), who reads the declaration aloud to everyone and humiliates Chris. Jamie doesn't reciprocate his romantic feelings; after they share a brief kiss on the cheek, Tim and the class burst in and humiliate Chris again. While Jamie admonishes them, Chris tearfully leaves the party, announcing that he would never return and vows to be more successful than everyone.
Ten years later, Chris has lost weight, is handsome, and lives in Los Angeles; he is a womanizer who has dated supermodels, starlets, and socialites, works as a highly successful record producer and also holds a position of senior vice president of the same record corporation he works for. Prior to Christmas, Chris's employer, company CEO KC (Stephen Root), asks Chris to accompany an emerging self-obsessed pop singer named Samantha James (Anna Faris) to Paris to ensure she signs with their label, an order to which Chris reluctantly complies. During the trip to Paris, Samantha accidentally sets her private jet on fire resulting in an emergency landing in New Jersey, near Chris's hometown.
Chris takes Samantha to his mother's house to spend the night and re-engages with his teenage past, including his unresolved feelings for Jamie. Samantha meets Chris's mother and 18-year-old brother Mike (Christopher Marquette) who has an enormous crush on Samantha. At the local bar, Chris encounters some old classmates, including his best friend Clark (Fred Ewanuick) and Clark's wife Darla (Amy Matysio); he also encounters Tim, who is now balding, fat, and a heavy drinker. Jamie also appears, working as a bartender to support herself through graduate school.
Chris plans to impress and seduce Jamie. He gets Mike to keep Samantha busy during his date with Jamie, but the realization that Jamie's platonic friendship is important to him hampers Chris's plan. During a friendly ice skating "day date", Chris is taken away in an ambulance after injuring himself. At the scene, Jamie is reunited with Dusty Dinkleman (Chris Klein), a paramedic and former high school nerd who was also romantically in love with her.
That night, in an attempt to rectify his situation, Chris again leaves Samantha in Mike's hands and takes Jamie to a movie showing of The Notebook. Jamie, however, brings Dusty along, and Chris's mother ends up joining them, ruining Chris's plan. Meanwhile, Samantha plays a gig at the heavy metal club that Chris sent her to, gets booed off the stage and assaults a member of the audience.
The next night, Chris goes to Jamie's for a Christmas party, planning to reveal his feelings for her, but he finds Dusty already there winning the guests over with his charm and musician talents. Back at Chris's place, Samantha ambushes Mike and pushes him against the bathroom wall demanding to find out Chris's location; fully aware of his feelings, she passionately tongue kisses him until he tells her where Chris has gone. In a rage, she drives to Jamie's house and crashes through her fence, destroying her family's Christmas decorations. Chris returns home in embarrassment, and Jamie follows him; she tells him she is not mad and they end up spending the night together catching up and looking at photos, but due to Chris's continuing lack of assertion, the two end up falling asleep and no romance ensues.
The next day, Jamie speaks with Darla about the night before and her fear that Chris's lack of affection means that he doesn't like her. Jamie admits that while the two are "just friends", she tried to "put herself out there" to Chris, to show Chris that she is interested in a relationship. Meanwhile, Chris goes to Clark's medical office to get advice, saying that "the timing wasn't right" and Jamie and Chris's history hinders his willingness to have sex with her. Outside the office, they happen to catch Dusty singing to a sexy nurse and then kissing her. Dusty reveals to Chris and Clark that he only plans to have sex with Jamie, as he wants to humiliate her in the same way that he felt she used to humiliate him when he was a nerd and she was the object of his crush.
Chris tries to warn Jamie, but instead ends up attacking Dusty in front of her; Jamie refuses to listen when Chris tries to explain. Chris consequently gets drunk and goes to the bar where Jamie works, finding her there with Dusty. Jamie refuses to listen and Dusty tries to convince her to have sex with him. When Jamie gently turns him down, Dusty storms out of the bar. Chris and Jamie get into another fight, with him blaming her for keeping him in the "friend zone" and saying that she "peaked in high school" and will never amount to anything. Jamie punches Chris and he is tossed out of the bar.
Upon returning to LA and having a frightening reunion with Samantha (who sneaks into Chris's house to "surprise him"), Chris realizes that Jamie is his one and only official and true love. He returns to New Jersey hoping to finally be with her. Chris declares his genuinely intense romantic love for Jamie at her house and the two share a kiss outside, in view of the neighborhood kids.

Tags: romantic, entertaining, flashback

Review:
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.
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".
"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.
"Just Friends" is about a guy named Chris (Ryan Reynolds) who in high school was an overweight but caring, sweet, and likable guy.
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).
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.
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!!!
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 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.
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..
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).
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.
It's a matter of the actors establishing good chemistry on the set, a real feeling of coziness and cohesiveness among the crew like the director and entire cast had time to grow into a comfort zone and produce a fully matured product with caricatured but detailed characters, an original soundtrack, etc.It's the sort of flick that wouldn't be anything without its very definite humor and gags though, despite the main narrative being actually quite original and a now cult classic theme (if not original, then one of the main "friendzone" concept films surely), and whether you like him or not, Ryan Reynolds brings his personal and unique touch to every movie set he enters.
He and Anna Faris are hilarious here, some scenes genuinely some of the funniest stuff from that entire cinematic era I can think of and surely connected on a purely humorous level where they were completely comfortable around each other and managed some of the best onscreen one-two combo comedy.
They'd also played together in "Waiting..." that same year, so, good chemistry and good complementary back and forth.Amy Smart does well also as the warm college crush/sweetheart many of us had growing up, but it's really the secondary characters that give this movie a major boost and fill in the blanks with comedic gusto when the protagonists aren't hogging up all the airtime: Chris Brander's mom (played by Julie Hagerty) is hilarious and hits so close to home as the overly naive and preoccupied mom ("well honey what on earth are you doing over at Joyce's ?!" -"be yourselllllffff !"), Dusty Dinkleman (Chris Klein): absolutely hilarious character.
And you know the movie makers put in genuine heart and effort when the film has its own batch of original songs that depict a character's flaws: "When Jamie Smiles" as the "stalker's national anthem", or Samantha James' "Forgiveness".
The relationship Brander has with his most annoying and immature little brother also adds to the good fun and the relatable quality of the overall picture.Whenever this film given its nature was supposed to run out of funny-steam, it kept going - whenever it was supposed to finally look like a cardboard Hollywood disposable comedy, it held up well enough - whenever the cheesiness was supposed to kick in hard, it managed to keep its composure and not sell out.
It manages to tell the truest story, deliver a genuine moral that doesn't collapse or sell itself too fast, while being quite honestly very funny even hilarious in parts and never stutter with its pace.This is surely too high a rating, but for this sort of film it indeed doesn't get much better than this: 9/10..
Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) is an overweight teen and he's in love with his best friend Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart).
When she is not on screen the film becomes almost a HALLMARK Christmas MOVIE.What this story is about In this romantic comedy, a recording industry executive (Ryan Reynolds - National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Blade: Trinity) comes face to face with his old high school crush (Amy Smart - Starsky & Hutch, The Butterfly Effect)--a woman whose rejection of him turned him into a notorious womanizer.
This comes naturally instead.Ryan Reynolds plays Chris Brander, a guy who's always wanted to be more than 'just friends' with his childhood pal, Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart).
His outlook on dating and relationships with female are now anything less than sensitive--never get stuck in a position where you're "just friends." Meanwhile, getting stuck having to babysit a brainless and selfish pop singer (Anna Faris as a parody of the Simpson sisters, it seems) that Chris's boss wants on the label, they are coincidentally stranded in his old New Jersey hometown en route to Paris.
It just seems like a chain of disasters is going to keep Chris and Jamie from every being more than 'just friends.' If you're in the mood for a movie to sit around watching with friends on some evening occasion, this is probably a good choice for the slumber party-esquire films.
But on the whole I'd say it's a sweet movie that made it a little easier to be cramped on a flight next to two guys who looked like the "before" Chris.Very fake fat suit and very fake New Jersey.
The film stars Ryan Reynolds as a former fatty who returns to his small hometown in New Jersey ten years after graduating from high school...rich, successful, and most importantly, thin and attempts to rekindle a romance with a girl (Amy Smart)who kept him in "The Friends Zone" in high school.
There are two memorable supporting turns by Anna Faris as a wigged-out client of Reynolds and Christopher Marquette as his little brother, but otherwise I'd take a pass on this unpleasant and unfunny film experience that works extremely hard for laughs but generates precious few..
Regardless, I still felt the need to take a shower after watching this movie; however, let me tell you that the stink of bad movie does not wash off easily.The only thing that saved this from being 1 star was a fat suit, retainer-wearing Ryan Reynolds singing I Swear.
Reynolds plays Chris, a hot young L.A. music executive who goes home to New Jersey for the first time in a decade and reunites with the girl he once loved  his "best friend" Jamie (Amy Smart).
When he gets stuck in his New Jersey home town due to bad weather with a superstar singer he is trying to sign (Anna Faris), he finds himself reunited with his high school crush, (Amy Smart) and discovers she is his true love.
When I see her, I think of her being in the "Scary Movie" series, but she is a great actress and could have a future one day.She's funny by the way she talks and, because of her character in this movie, being a singer, I was laughing while she was performing one of her songs."Just Friends" could be a movie that anyone could watch.
Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, Chris Klein, and Anna Faris were HILARIOUS!!!!
Just Friends stars Ryan Reynolds in a fat suit who plays Chris, the nice high school nerd who wants to declare his love for hot babe Jamie (Amy Smart) at the graduation party.Jamie likes Chris only as a friend which means platonic only relationship, no sex.
He also sees Jamie and plans to impress her but it always ends up in disaster and humiliation for Chris.Just Friends is an easy going and charming comedy with a few good laughs.
Just in time for the holidays is "Just Friends." The movie opens in 1995 New Jersey with Ryan Reynolds (as Chris) playing the "I'll sign my love in the yearbook" card as a 300+ pound loser.
Finally moving into the plot of the movie again, Chris goes for a drink at the local tavern and runs into old friends who are married, the "ultra-jock" from high school who of course is still donning the letter jacket and drunk, and finally Jamie.
Even though Ryan Reynolds is regarded as Hollywood's "hunky dork", he is an amazing versatile actor- drama, horror and comedy- which I feel is his forte.Getting beyond the whole "fat suit" thing, I don't think my friends and I have laughed so hard in a very long time.
If you're a Ryan Reynolds fan or like a feel good movie or just plain want to see something funny, then don't miss this film.
Ryan Reynolds plays a formerly fat high school nerd who is in love with Amy Smart's character, who is very attractive i might add.
Reynolds and Smart were best friends during high school and when Reynolds returns to his home town, their friendship is rekindled, much to the chagrin of Reynolds...Honostly, don't waste your time, money, life, mind, or anything else on this movie, it was terrible and horribly cliché...
All the funny parts were used in the trailers.The cast does a fantastic job with a lame script, although the character Samantha was just ridiculously over the top.I gave it a 4 for use of good looking guys, but my advice is wait til the DVD.Ryan Reynolds (Chris) is a hottie, and it's hard to believe he played both fat Chris and thin Chris.
Just because you take a traditionally funny actor and put them in some sappy love story situation doesn't mean you have a good romantic comedy and it sure as hell doesn't mean that self respecting movie goers will pay to see it or ever want to own a copy.
He plays a fat high school student(Chris Brander) who is in love with his best friend.
I haven't laugh as hard as i did in a long time before i seen "Just Friends" Ryan Renolds is hilarious as Chris Brander a a man who was a "Geek" in high school who was in love with the most popular girl in school Jamie Palimeno(the very hot Amy Smart)but when he finely gets the guts to tell her she blows him off.So ten years later Chris is a big time record producer who has to take his client Samantha James(the always hilarious Ana Fares) to Paris so she can play a show there.So then something bad happens to the plane and they have to stop in Jersey which is where Chris went to high school.He immediately starts to look for Jamie but when he thinks he has, her another former geek steps in Dusty Dinculmen(wonderfully plaid by the hilarieus Chris Klien)and he wants Jamie for himself.it is a great film with a good story and non stop laughs threw out the movie..
In 'Just Friends' Ryan Reynolds plays Chris, a guy who is in love with Jamie (Amy Smart) and has been since High School back in Jersey.
It was the same old romantic comedy clichés I see again and again, with sex being a rather large part of the film for a movie that is about people who don't have sex.Sure, the film is funny at times.
I don't mind Faris, but if your idea of a comedy is "Scary Movie", you're operating on the level of a third grader.The one thing this film had going for it, aside from the few funny parts, was the fact it rested on a nugget of truth.
'Just friends' stars Ryan Reynolds as Chris Brander, a former geek in high school that's grown up with all the right connections in LA.
It's a non-stop roller-coaster of laughs, interjected with serious themes as well.I loved all the actors, especially Ryan Reynolds and Chris Marquette, both being favourites from previous movie experiences (Van Wilder and The Girl Next Door respectively) I found the funniest part to be the relationship/fights between the two brothers(Reynolds and Marquette) - I watched the fights about twenty times each!
The first time i watched Just Friends, i laughed and i related to the Ryan Reynolds character, Chris Brander.
As a person who watches a prodigious amount of movies, i looked hard at this film to find some aspect that made it different then any other, but in the end, I found that this film robbed other comedies of their slapstick humor, creating the end result: Another big budget Hollywood film that in no way causes the audience to think.The acting was so-so, the plot uneventful, and the laughs forgettable.For a movie aimed at high school teenagers, i see a lot of support from adults, which causes me to ponder on the amount of untreated adult ADD in this country.
It would have helped the Anna Farris storyline a little bit, I think.All in all, it was a good movie - I laughed pretty hard at a few scenes and I can't say that all that often anymore.
The top-the-other-similar-movies high school humiliations go way beyond believable and the character flaws makes it impossible to relate to the lead.In the end it was one of those films that you completely understand by watching the first 5 minutes and the last 5..
Chris is fat, he has almost no friends, except for Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart "Road Trip"), but at the end of high school, he realizes that he wants the friendship to be more than just friends, but she refuses to allow that to happen, and it breaks his heart, which starts Reynolds on a huge womanizing spree, one with which is a musical artist (Anna Faris).
Great movie for all the guys stuck in the friends zone or who have that one girl in their head they've always loved, but couldn't tell her how he feels.
Fat Ryan Reynolds is not worth watching this movie
Just Friends is a rather funny comedy simply due to the presence of Ryan Reynolds and the chemistry he has with both Amy Smart and to a latter extent Anna Faris.
But then we come back around to the real plot, and nothing about these people's emotions seems real.Set in a simple but working plot which is set ten years after he graduated from high school a fat loser whose true love only wanted to be his friend, Chris Brander is now a record-label executive whose smarmy, womanizing ways go over in shallow L.A. Although we might already know what the end will turn out like (most romantic comedies are predictable), and simply by viewing the trailer, the journey and overall adventure is what makes this film better than it should be and better than several rom-coms.
This is the first time I've seen Ryan Reynolds in a movie and I must admit, he's funny.