JUST FRIENDS

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
AUGUST 27, 2013

Ryan Reynolds has a hold on comedy that always embodies the story that surrounds him. Much like his sincerity in the comedy “Waiting,” Reynolds returns with force in the off-beat and over-the-top comedy, “Just Friends.” After losing weight, Chris Brander (Reynolds), a prominent record executive in Los Angeles, returns to his tiny hometown. There, he finds himself trying to impress his former love, Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart), who, in high school, only saw him as a friend. With his current girlfriend and future pop star, Samantha James (Anna Faris) in tow, Chris is forced to keep putting off their trip to Paris while he bumbles his way through trying to take out Jamie without screwing it up.

When fellow former nerd turned hunk Dusty Dinkleman (Chris Klein) gets involved, all bets are off. Often far too silly and eccentric, “Just Friends” relies heavily on its cast to bring to life these ridiculous situations, but with this cast comes some genuinely hilarious moments. With a bit of romantic comedy mixed in, the film occasionally rises above its craziness and delivers some heartwarming sentiments. “Just Friends” is somehow still only rated PG-13, but it still marks the rise of Ryan Reynolds and the raunchy comedy background where he got his start.