''Just Friends'' is a 2005 American

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Roger Kumble Roger Kumble (born May 28, 1966) is an American film director, screenwriter, and playwright. Life and career Kumble was raised in Harrison, New York, and attended Harrison High School. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1988, where he ...

, written by

Adam 'Tex' Davis Adam "Tex" Davis is an American screenwriter and director. He is most famous for writing the scripts for ''Spring Break Lawyer'' and ''Just Friends''. He is married to Kim Davis and has a daughter named Gia. He also worked on the National Geogra ...

and starring

Ryan Reynolds Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian-American actor. He is one of the highest-grossing film actors of all time, with a worldwide box-office gross of over billion. He began his career starring in the Canadian teen ...

Amy Smart Amy Lysle Smart (born March 26, 1976) is an American actress. A native of Los Angeles, Smart began her career modelling in Italy and subsequently enrolled in acting school. Her first role in film was in director Martin Kunert's anthology horror ...

Anna Faris Anna Kay Faris (; born November 29, 1976) is an American actress. She rose to prominence for her work in comedic roles, particularly the lead part of Cindy Campbell in the ''Scary Movie'' film series (2000–2006). She has appeared in a number ...

, Chris Klein and Christopher Marquette. The plot focuses on a formerly obese high school student (Reynolds) who attempts to free himself from the

friend zone In popular culture, the friend zone (or friendzone) is a relational concept, describing a situation in which one person in a mutual friendship wishes to enter into a romantic or sexual relationship with the other person, while the other doe ...

after reconnecting with his best friend (Smart) whom he is in love with while visiting his hometown for Christmas. The film revolves around humorous observation of strictly

platonic relationship Platonic love (often lowercased as platonic love) is a type of love in which sexual desire or romantic features are nonexistent or has been suppressed or sublimated, but it means more than simple friendship. The term is derived from the nam ...

s as "just friends" or "just as best friends". It was shot in Regina and

Moose Jaw Moose Jaw is the fourth largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. Lying on the Moose Jaw River in the south-central part of the province, it is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina. Residents of Moose Jaw are known as Moose Javian ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...

. ''Just Friends'' was released on November 23, 2005 and grossed over $50 million.

Plot

In 1995, Chris Brander, an

obese Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's we ...

high school senior, is secretly in love with his classmate and best friend Jamie Palamino. Confessing his feelings by writing in her

yearbook A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a type of a book published annually. One use is to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school. The term also refers to a book of statistics or facts published annually. A yearbook often ...

, he attends their graduation party. As he returns Jamie's yearbook, it is swapped by her ex-boyfriend, Tim, who reads the declaration aloud to everyone, humiliating Chris. After kissing him on the cheek, Jamie admits she does not reciprocate his affections. He leaves the party in tears, announcing he will never return and vowing to be more successful than everyone else. Ten years later, a womanizing Chris has lost weight and lives in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

as a highly successful record producer and vice president of the company. Before Christmas, company CEO KC, asks him to accompany emerging, self-obsessed pop singer Samantha James to Paris so she signs with their label, and Chris reluctantly complies. She wants a relationship with him but he has no interest after their only date previously led to his hospitalization. On the way to Paris, Samantha accidentally sets her private jet on fire, causing an emergency landing in New Jersey, near Chris's hometown. Chris takes Samantha to his mother's for the night and re-engages with his teenage past, including his unresolved feelings for Jamie. She meets his mother and 18-year-old brother Mike, a huge fan of Samantha who is infatuated with her. At the local bar, Chris encounters some old classmates, including his other best friend Clark and his wife Darla. He also sees Jamie, working as a bartender to pay for graduate school for teaching. Chris asks Mike to keep Samantha busy during his date with Jamie, but realizing their platonic friendship is important to him hampers his plan for them to have sex. During a friendly ice skating "day date", Chris is taken away in an ambulance after injuring himself during a hockey game with Jamie and a trio of kids (who dislike him). At the scene, Jamie is reunited with Dusty Dinkleman, a paramedic and former high school classmate also in love with her. The next night, Chris goes to Jamie's Christmas party to express his feelings for her, but Dusty is already there, charming everyone on guitar. Back at Chris's, Samantha ambushes Mike, demanding he reveal Chris's location. He refuses until she gives him a kiss. In a rage, she drives to Jamie's, crashing through her fence and destroying the Christmas decorations. Chris returns home in embarrassment, and Jamie follows. She tells him she is not mad and they end up spending the night catching up and reminiscing. However, due to Chris's continuing lack of assertion, they end up just sleeping and nothing happens. The next day, Jamie speaks with Darla about the night before, while Chris goes to Clark for advice. Jamie admits that while they are "just friends", she tried to show Chris she is interested in more. Clark tells Chris that "the timing wasn't right" and their history hinders him. Outside the office, Chris and Clark catch Dusty singing to a nurse and then kissing her. Dusty reveals his plans to have sex with Jamie and humiliate her in a way he felt she humiliated him in high school when he was attracted to her. Chris tries to warn Jamie, but instead attacks Dusty in front of her. She refuses to listen when he tries to explain. Consequently, he gets drunk and goes to Jamie's bar, finding her there with Dusty. When she gently declines Dusty's sexual advances, he storms out. Chris and Jamie get into another fight, where he blames her for keeping him in the "

" and says she will never amount to anything. Jamie punches Chris and he is tossed out. Upon returning to Los Angeles and rejecting Samantha's continued advances when she sees him again, Chris realizes that Jamie is his one and only true love. He returns to New Jersey, declares his love to her and they kiss, while the three kids (from the hockey game earlier) watch in disgust. One of the boys hands the girl a cookie, which she gives to the other. She calls the boy who gave her a cookie her friend, which he replies with "the bestest" before realizing he has been put in the friend zone.

Cast

as Chris Brander *

as Jamie Palamino *

as Samantha James * Chris Klein as Dusty "Dusty Lee" Dinkleman * Christopher Marquette as Mike Brander *

Julie Hagerty Julie Beth Hagerty (born June 15, 1955) is an American actress. She starred as Elaine in the films ''Airplane!'' (1980) and '' Airplane II: The Sequel'' (1982). Her other film roles include ''A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy'' (1982), ''Lost in Am ...

as Carol Brander *

Stephen Root Stephen Root (born November 17, 1951) is an American actor. He has starred as Jimmy James on the television sitcom '' NewsRadio'', as Milton Waddams in the film ''Office Space'' (1999), and provided the voices of Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickl ...

as KC *

Fred Ewanuick Fred Ewanuick ( /əˈwαnɪk/; born June 23, 1971) is a Canadian actor known for his roles in the television series ''Corner Gas'' as Hank Yarbo and as the title character in the CTV sitcom ''Dan for Mayor''. He was also a regular in a CTV anthol ...

as Clark *

Amy Matysio Amy Matysio is a Canadian theatre, television and film actress. Early life and education Matysion was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre (Performance) from the University of Regina and has also studied at ...

as Darla * Barry Flatman as Mr. Palamino * Maria Arcé as Athena *

Ty Olsson Ty Olsson (born January 28, 1974) is a Canadian actor. He is known for playing Benny Lafitte in ''Supernatural'', real-life 9/11 victim Mark Bingham in the A&E television film ''Flight 93'', and Ord in the PBS Kids animated children's series ''D ...

as Tim * Todd Lewis as Kyle *

Ashley Scott Ashley McCall Scott (born July 13, 1977) is an American actress and model, best known for providing the voice and motion capture for Maria Miller in the video games ''The Last of Us'' (2013) and ''The Last of Us Part II'' (2020). She has also a ...

as Janice *

Trenna Keating Trenna Keating (born January 23, 1987) is a Canadians, Canadian actress known for her recurring role as Doc Yewll in ''Defiance (TV series), Defiance'' between 2013 and 2015. Early life Trenna Keating was born and grew up in Weyburn, Saskatchew ...

as Nancy * JJ Elliott as Movie Goer * Tina Cerato as Movie Goer * Amanda Park as Dental Assistant Alanis Morissette, then Reynolds' fiancée, made a

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

as "herself" as a former client of his character. This came about when the casting director said "we need an Alanis Morissette type" and Reynolds said he knew someone who would fit. This scene was deleted, however, and is only available on the DVD.

Production

The film was shot in

and parts of Regina and

Music

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack ...

was released November 22, 2005 on

New Line Records WaterTower Music (formerly New Line Records from 2000 to 2010) is an American record label serving as the in-house music label and run by entertainment company Warner Bros., ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The name and logo are based o ...

. ;Track listing #

Ben Lee Benjamin Michael Lee (born 11 September 1978) is an Australian musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but he focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He appe ...

– "

Catch My Disease "Catch My Disease" is a song by Australian singer Ben Lee. It was released a single from his fifth studio album, '' Awake Is the New Sleep'' (2004), on 18 January 2005 in the United States and on 25 April 2005 in Australia. The song reached numbe ...

" #

Fountains of Wayne Fountains of Wayne was an American rock band that formed in New York City in 1995. The band included founding members Chris Collingwood, Adam Schlesinger, Jody Porter, and Brian Young. They released five albums from 1996 to 2011 before e ...

– "Hackensack" #

Rogue Wave Rogue waves (also known as freak waves, monster waves, episodic waves, killer waves, extreme waves, and abnormal waves) are unusually large, unpredictable, and suddenly appearing surface waves that can be extremely dangerous to ships, even to lar ...

– "Eyes" # Anna Faris (as Samantha James) – "Forgiveness" #

Brendan Benson Brendan Benson (born November 14, 1970) is an American musician and singer-songwriter. He plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and drums. He has released eight solo albums and is a member of the band The Raconteurs. Recording career ''One Missi ...

– "Cold Hands (Warm Heart)" # Robbers on High Street – "Big Winter" #

The Sights The Sights are a rock and roll band from Detroit, Michigan, formed in 1998. The band has toured in the United States, Canada, and the UK. Members ;Current *Eddie Baranek: Vocals, Guitar *Jarrod Champion: Keyboard, Vocals *Skip Denomme: Drums *Ro ...

– "Waiting on a Friend" # Reed Foehl – "When It Comes Around" #

The Lemonheads The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily, and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member. After their initial punk-influenced releases and tour ...

– "Into Your Arms" # 'Just Friends' Holiday Players – "Christmas, Christmas" # "Dusty 'Lee' Dinkleman" – "Jamie Smiles" # Anna Faris (as Samantha James) – "Love from Afar" # Jeff Cardoni – "Just Friends Score Medley" #

All-4-One All-4-One is an American male R&B and pop group best known for their hit singles " I Swear", "So Much in Love" and "I Can Love You Like That". The group is composed of Jamie Jones, Delious Kennedy, Alfred Nevarez, and Tony Borowiak, all from ...

– "

I Swear "I Swear" is a song written by Gary Baker and Frank J. Myers that became a hit for American country music artist John Michael Montgomery in 1993, and for American R&B group All-4-One in 1994. Released in November 1993 as the lead single from ...

" # Carly Simon – "Coming Around Again"

Original songs performed in the film

# "Forgiveness", performed multiple times by Anna Faris. # "Jamie Smiles", performed multiple times by Chris Klein # "Love from Afar", performed by Anna Faris and

Renee Sands Renee Ilene Sandstrom (born February 15, 1974) is an American singer and former child actress better known by her stage name Renee Sands. She is best known for her role as Renee on '' Kids Incorporated'', and as a vocal member of the American gir ...

trom # "Just a Guy", performed by Anna Faris (only on the Alternate Ending) Most songs in the film were written by Adam Schiff, except "When Jamie Smiles", which was written by H. Scott Salinas. The orchestral score was written by Jeff Cardoni, and orchestrated by Stephen Coleman and

Tony Blondal Tony Blondal is a film and television orchestrator and conductor, and record arranger. He started out his musical career playing live (guitar) and doing studio recording sessions (guitar, mandolin, banjo, balalaika, charango and various instrument ...

Reception

Box office

''Just Friends'' grossed $32.6 million domestically, and $18.3 million in other territories, for a box office total of $50.9 million. In the United States the film grossed $9.2 million in its opening weekend, finishing 6th at the box office.

Critical response

''Just Friends'' received mixed reviews from critics. On

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

the film has an approval rating of based on reviews with an average rating of . The site's critical consensus reads, "There are moments of mirth in this overly broad comedy, but mostly, ''Just Friends'' is just not that funny." On

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

, the film has a score of 47 out of 100 based on 28 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.

References

External links

* * * {{Roger Kumble 2005 films 2005 romantic comedy films 2000s Christmas films 2000s Christmas comedy films 2000s coming-of-age comedy films American romantic comedy films American Christmas comedy films American coming-of-age comedy films Films directed by Roger Kumble Films set in New Jersey Films shot in Saskatchewan Films about siblings Films about families Films set in the 1990s Films set in 1995 Films set in the 2000s Films set in 2005 New Line Cinema films 2000s English-language films 2000s American films