PLENTY OF HEART AND SOUL IN 'JUST FRIENDS'.Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic 'JUST FRIENDS'' is rated PG-13, but otherwise it's a nice fit with the year's popular R-rated sex comedies ``The Wedding Crashers'' and ``The 40-Year-Old Virgin.'' These are movies about dweebs Dweeb(s) can refer to:
In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. their soul mate and suffering all manner of embarrassment in the process. The movies look outrageous, but they're really soft and gooey See GUI. in the center. ``Just Friends'' skews younger than ``Virgin'' and ``The Wedding Crashers,'' which is why, if you're of a certain age, you might not have heard about it. Despite that off-putting one-sheet poster of Ryan Reynolds Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23 1976) is a Canadian actor. He came to prominence in the television sitcom Two Guys and a Girl (1998–2001), before establishing a career as a Hollywood motion picture actor, starring in both comedic and dramatic roles. in a fat suit, the movie is actually pretty good - funny, smart and featuring a host of appealing performances. It's short and sweet; at 94 minutes, it's perfect for anyone tripped out on tryptophan tryptophan (trĭp`təfăn), organic compound, one of the 20 amino acids commonly found in animal proteins. Only the l-stereoisomer appears in mammalian protein. . The opening 10 minutes flashes back to a 1995 high school graduation party where the overweight, nerdy Chris (Reynolds) looks to tell super- popular cheerleader Jamie (Amy Smart Amy Lysle Smart (born March 26, 1976) is an American actress and former fashion model. Life and career Early life Amy Lysle Smart was born in Topanga, California. ) that he wants to be more than her best friend. The plan goes horribly awry and Chris leaves New Jersey in shame, quoting the state's patron saint as he leaves, ``This town's full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win.'' Ten years later, Chris is a Hollywood player. He has shed the weight, but also his soul. That doesn't bother him, though, until he finds himself back home for the first time in 10 years. He sees Jamie again and - cue every guy's revenge fantasy - figures that now that he's ``cool,'' she'll be easy pickings. Naturally, the pursuit proves more complicated than that. Reynolds has shown flashes of on-screen on·screen or on-screen adj. & adv. 1. As shown on a movie, television, or display screen. 2. Within public view; in public. presence in the past, but this is the first time he's had good material and he runs with it. Watching Reynolds slowly destroy his self-absorbed character's empty value system and false persona is a joy to behold. His dithering Simulating more colors and shades in a palette. In a monochrome system that displays or prints only black and white, shades of grays can be simulated by creating varying patterns of black dots. This is how halftones are created in a monochrome printer. mom (Julie Hagerty) sweetly tells him: ``Be yourself, be yourself.'' Chris angrily responds, ``I don't want to be myself!'' In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently , the guy has spent a decade erasing his identity. But it has destroyed him. And, returning home, he discovers the damage he has done. Reynolds gives us one beautiful glimpse of the raging internal battle when we see Chris poking around the family garage and finding his old snow globe collection. The look of joyful, shameful discovery on Reynolds' face is priceless, a great acting moment that few will recognize as such because it comes in a genre that's not serious. But then, director Roger Kumble (``Cruel Intentions''), working from first-timer Adam ``Tex'' Davis' surprisingly layered script, has elicited any number of fine, pitch-perfect performances here, including Smart playing the down-to-earth dream girl, Chris Klein (!) as a nerd turned dreamboat dream·boat n. 1. A person considered exceptionally good-looking and sexually attractive. 2. A luxurious, well-designed automobile or other vehicle. and the great Anna Faris playing a Courtney Love/Tara Reid/(Insert loony celebrity here)-type nut case whom Chris must baby-sit, complicating his pursuit of Jamie. Of course, even without a crazy celeb ce·leb n. Informal A celebrity. in tow, Chris has his hands full. After all, he has been in the ``friend zone'' for almost 20 years. As ``Just Friends'' makes clear, you don't bust out of that precinct without a little hardship. Glenn Whipp, (818) 713-3672 glenn.whipp(at)dailynews.com JUST FRIENDS - Three stars (PG-13: sexual content, dialogue) Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, Anna Faris, Chris Klein. Director: Roger Kumble. Running time: 1 hr. 34 min. Playing: In wide release. In a nutshell: Nerd turned player turns back into nerd in pursuit of his dream girl from high school. Surprisingly well-observed for a broad comedy. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: When a formerly overweight Chris (Ryan Reynolds) encounters popular Jamie (Amy Smart) 10 years later, he figures she'll be an easy conquest - but learns otherwise - in ``Just Friends.'' |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion