The Collegian

Issue date: 12/2/05 Section: No Limits

Ryan Reynolds and Amy Smart, back in the good ol' days.

Anna Farris and a slimmer Ryan Reynolds now in the tougher times.

It is rare that a movie makes me laugh in its first 30 seconds, but the holiday comedy, "Just Friends," did just that - and kept me laughing all the way through the end credits.

Once a tortured fat kid and banished to the "friend zone" by his high school crush, Chris (Ryan Reynolds) is now a slick, womanizing record executive living the good life in L.A. In the days before Christmas, he finds himself forced by his boss to "baby-sit" Samantha James, an out-of-control, self-obsessed pop star, who mistakenly interprets his attention as a desire to re-kindle their brief affair.

When their plane has to make an unscheduled stop on the way to Paris, Chris finds himself in the last place he wanted to be, his hometown in New Jersey. The delay is only to be for one night, until Chris runs into the girl who broke his heart 10 years before, his best friend, Jamie Palamino.

With his feelings for her still palpable, he hatches a plan to revive the connection between them, and, hopefully, finally leave the "friend zone" behind for good - all the while having to compete for Jamie's attention with guitar-playing, life-saving paramedic Dusty, while avoiding the certifiably crazy Samantha and deal with his sweet but problematic family.

With a script full of sharp dialogue, witty comebacks and one-liners (delivered mostly by Reynolds), and strong comedic performances, the director, Roger Kumble ("The Sweetest Thing"), smartly avoids the temptation to use the usually unsatisfying juvenile gags and gross-outs for easy laughs. Instead, "Just Friends" combines its smart script, by Adam "Tex" Davis, with classic slapstick physical comedy - and it works. It is laugh-out-loud funny more times than not, and the jokes are rarely childish or redundant; the tiny exception being Chris Klein's performance.

Klein ("American Pie"), as Dusty, is the only downer of the film. His portrayal of the former-geek nemesis is so cheesy and one-dimensional, the character's potential for delicious deviousness is wasted. It's disappointing to think how great the rivalry could have been between the characters of Chris and Dusty with an actor who had more personality and flair playing the part-perhaps someone like fellow "American Pie" actor Seann William Scott?

In comedic leading-man roles, Reynolds ("Van Wilder" and "Blade Trinity") has a knack for creating flawed but loveable characters, and he doesn't disappoint in "Just Friends." He delivers a barrage of laughs as Chris gradually becomes unhinged, eventually leading to a hilarious meltdown at a children's Christmas concert. When it comes to physical comedy, Reynold's talent is nearly equal to that of comedy great Jim Carey (only with less of an over-the-top approach). The scenes portraying the contentious, love/hate relationship with Chris and his brother Mike - hysterically played by Chris Marquette - are the high points of the movie. The slap fights and traded insults, along with brief, subtle moments of affection, are intricately laced throughout, making them that much more effective.

The ladies in the film, Amy Smart ("The Butterfly Effect") as Jamie and Anna Faris ("Scary Movie" 1, 2 and 3) as Samantha are equally appealing. Smart gives Jamie the perfect amount of sweetness and sass to string Chris along and put him in his place. Faris is delightfully zany as Samantha, creating a crazy cartoon version of every talentless "Pop Tart" to perfection. She is Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton rolled into one and then amplified.

Real comedy fans will get a kick out of the great cameo performances by Stephen Root ("Office Space") as Chris' sleazy, unforgiving boss and Julie Haggarty ("Airplane") as his flighty and painfully unaware mother.

If taken for what it is, "Just Friends" is definitely worth the price of admission. It's the perfect choice as a temporary reprieve from the end-of-the-semester or holiday stress. Just kick back, munch on some popcorn and candy, and try not to spit your soda on the guy in front of you. You'll leave the theater relaxed and high on laughter - just in time to bury your face in a book or hit the mall again.

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