let's get friendly

(the following is volume one of posts that i never finished):

i typically don't waste my time with films like just friends. i've never seen a ryan reynolds film, and have always thought that amy smart is one of the more uncharismatic teen-comedy actresses in recent times. on the other hand, i've always had a soft spot for chris klein and anna faris; they both exude a certain authenticity (be it klein as paul in election or faris in both scary movie and lost in translation).
critics disregarded just friends (38 percent cream-of-the-crop rating at rottentomatoes.com), and it's hard not to blame them. i almost tuned out during the clunky opening sequence, a flashback to 1995 when the overweight chris brander (reynolds) professes his love for jamie in her senior-year yearbook. of course, this backfires on chris and he leaves town for 10 years, only to return and as a slender, hip la music exec.
the film has merit in so far as it exploits and riffs on suburban upbringing. there's also a lot of cheap shots on dudes that play brash and aloof to get the goods. anna faris plays a britney spears type and she really chews it up. klein also is good as dusty, the perennial hometown new jersey player (hate the game).
as i mentioned earlier, i normally wouldn't waste my time with a film like this. however, given that i fatefully intercepted a copy of the dvd at work, i couldn't resist taking a quick 90 minute ride.