Just Friends (2005 film)
Encyclopedia
Just Friends is a 2005 romantic comedy
Christmas film directed by Roger Kumble
. The film stars Ryan Reynolds
, Amy Smart
, Anna Faris
, Chris Klein
, and Christopher Marquette and deals with friend zone
relationships.
), an obese, curly-haired high school student with a lisp, braces, and a gentle giant demeanor, attends the graduation party of his best friend, Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart
). Chris has been secretly in love with Jamie throughout their entire friendship and plans to finally confess his feelings to her by writing them in her yearbook. However, when he tries to return it to her, it is swiped by Jamie's despicable ex-boyfriend Tim (Ty Olsson
), who then reads Chris's confession aloud at the party. Chris is publicly humiliated and, to top it off, Jamie doesn't reciprocate his feelings. She gives him a kiss on the cheek and says she loves him like a brother. Jamie yells at their classmates for making fun of him, but Chris flees the party on his bicycle in tears, vowing to leave town and become more successful than all of them.
Ten years later, Chris has lost his excess weight and has become very handsome and successful with a thriving career as a Los Angeles
record producer. He has also obtained a reputation as a ferocious womanizer. Just before Christmas
, his boss (Stephen Root
) orders him to take up-and-coming pop
singer Samantha James (Anna Faris
) to Paris
, so that she will sign with their company. Chris goes reluctantly as he has a history with the self-obsessed singer. During their trip to Paris, Samantha sets her private jet on fire by neglecting to remove the aluminum foil from a plate of tuna she has placed in the plane's microwave oven. This necessitates an emergency landing in New Jersey
, not far from Chris's hometown. He takes her to his mother's house for the night, causing him to face the humiliating high school years he left behind and his unresolved feelings for Jamie.
Stepping out to the local bar, Chris runs into some old friends and even Tim, who is now a balding, fat and drunken slob. He also runs into Jamie, who is now working her way through graduate school as a bartender. Thinking that he can finally get his high school love out of his system, Chris plans to woo and seduce Jamie. However, a number of unexpected problems, along with the growing realization that his friendship with Jamie really meant something to him, keep getting in the way. He bonds with Jamie on several occasions. During a friendly "day-date" of ice skating, Chris is injured in a game of hockey which results in him being taken away in an ambulance. Jamie is then reunited with the paramedic Dusty Dinkleman (Chris Klein
) who used to be a nerdy high school student also in love with her.
Meanwhile, Chris leaves his younger brother Mike (Christopher Marquette) to watch over Samantha. When Mike is in the bathroom brushing his teeth, Samantha pushes him against the wall and asks him where Chris is. Mike says he won't tell her, but since Samantha knows that he has a major crush on her, she tongue kisses him, and he confesses that Chris is with his "lover" (thinking that Chris already had sex with Jamie). Samantha becomes jealous of Chris leaving her for Jamie, believing that she and Chris are in a relationship. In an angry rage, Samantha destroys Jamie's family's Christmas decorations. Embarrassed, Chris returns home only to be visited by Jamie. She reveals that she is not mad at Chris and plans to spend the night with him, but Chris is still unable to make a move on Jamie and they just go to sleep.
The next day, Jamie goes to Darla and Clark's house, who are now married, to talk to Darla. In the meantime, Chris goes to Clark's workplace, a dentist's office, to talk to Clark. Jamie tells Darla what had happened the night before and that she is afraid Chris might not like her since he did not make a move on her. She says that they are "just friends." She said that she "put herself out there" to Chris, trying to prove that she wants to be in a relationship with him. In the meantime, Chris tells Clark that "the timing wasn't right" and since him and Jamie have a history together, he can't sleep with her. He says that it seems like high school all over again. Later, Chris and Clark catch Dusty singing to a sexy nurse and then kissing her. Dusty reveals to Chris and Clark that he only plans to have sex with Jamie and then humiliate her like he felt she used to do to him. Chris tries to warn Jamie about Dusty during a children's Christmas pageant, but instead ends up attacking Dusty and ruining the play. Jamie won't listen when Chris tells her about the nurse, leaving him angry and disappointed with Jamie and her family. Chris gets drunk and goes to the bar where Jamie works and ends up blaming her for keeping him in the friend zone and telling her that she'll never amount to anything. She punches him and gets him tossed out of the bar. Chris returns to LA only to realize that Jamie is the only one for him. Chris returns to New Jersey and goes to Jamie's house and finally declares his true love for her and kisses Jamie as the neighborhood kids watch.
Alanis Morissette
, then Reynolds's fiancée, made a cameo appearance
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.
and parts of Regina, Saskatchewan
.
was released November 22, 2005 on New Line Records
.
Track listing
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
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
Christmas film directed by Roger Kumble
Roger Kumble
Roger Kumble is an American film director, screenwriter, and playwright.-Life and career:Kumble was raised in Harrison, New York and graduated from Harrison High School. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1988, where he wrote for the "Waa Mu" show...
. The film stars Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Rodney Reynolds is a Canadian film and television actor, best known for his roles in such films as National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Waiting..., The Amityville Horror, Just Friends, Definitely, Maybe, The Proposal, Buried, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Green Lantern.One of his best known...
, Amy Smart
Amy Smart
Amy Lysle Smart is an American television and film actress and former fashion model.-Early life:Smart was born in Topanga, California. Her mother, Judy Lysle , worked at a museum, and her father, John Boden Smart, was a salesman...
, Anna Faris
Anna Faris
Anna Kay Faris is an American actress, singer and comedienne. She is known for her starring role in the Scary Movie film series, as well as roles in The Hot Chick , Lost in Translation , Just Friends , My Super Ex-Girlfriend , Smiley Face , and The House Bunny...
, Chris Klein
Chris Klein (actor)
Frederick Christopher "Chris" Klein is an American movie actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Chris "Oz" Ostreicher in the 1999 film American Pie and its sequel American Pie 2.-Early life:...
, and Christopher Marquette and deals with friend zone
Friend zone
The friend zone, or occasionally friendship zone, is a dating term describing a relation in which one partner wants to become intimate romantically while the other prefers to be just friends. It is generally regarded as not a positive development, particularly for a man...
relationships.
Plot
In 1995, Chris Brander (Ryan ReynoldsRyan Reynolds
Ryan Rodney Reynolds is a Canadian film and television actor, best known for his roles in such films as National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Waiting..., The Amityville Horror, Just Friends, Definitely, Maybe, The Proposal, Buried, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Green Lantern.One of his best known...
), an obese, curly-haired high school student with a lisp, braces, and a gentle giant demeanor, attends the graduation party of his best friend, Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart
Amy Smart
Amy Lysle Smart is an American television and film actress and former fashion model.-Early life:Smart was born in Topanga, California. Her mother, Judy Lysle , worked at a museum, and her father, John Boden Smart, was a salesman...
). Chris has been secretly in love with Jamie throughout their entire friendship and plans to finally confess his feelings to her by writing them in her yearbook. However, when he tries to return it to her, it is swiped by Jamie's despicable ex-boyfriend Tim (Ty Olsson
Ty Olsson
Tyler "Ty" Olsson is a Canadian actor. He's best known for being the voice of the dragon Ord on Dragon Tales and for portraying real life 9/11 victim Mark Bingham in the A&E television movie Flight 93.-Life and career:...
), who then reads Chris's confession aloud at the party. Chris is publicly humiliated and, to top it off, Jamie doesn't reciprocate his feelings. She gives him a kiss on the cheek and says she loves him like a brother. Jamie yells at their classmates for making fun of him, but Chris flees the party on his bicycle in tears, vowing to leave town and become more successful than all of them.
Ten years later, Chris has lost his excess weight and has become very handsome and successful with a thriving career as a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
record producer. He has also obtained a reputation as a ferocious womanizer. Just before Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, his boss (Stephen Root
Stephen Root
Stephen Root is an American actor. He is best known for his comedic work on the TV sitcom NewsRadio, in the film Office Space and as the voice of Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland in the animated series King of the Hill...
) orders him to take up-and-coming pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer Samantha James (Anna Faris
Anna Faris
Anna Kay Faris is an American actress, singer and comedienne. She is known for her starring role in the Scary Movie film series, as well as roles in The Hot Chick , Lost in Translation , Just Friends , My Super Ex-Girlfriend , Smiley Face , and The House Bunny...
) to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, so that she will sign with their company. Chris goes reluctantly as he has a history with the self-obsessed singer. During their trip to Paris, Samantha sets her private jet on fire by neglecting to remove the aluminum foil from a plate of tuna she has placed in the plane's microwave oven. This necessitates an emergency landing in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, not far from Chris's hometown. He takes her to his mother's house for the night, causing him to face the humiliating high school years he left behind and his unresolved feelings for Jamie.
Stepping out to the local bar, Chris runs into some old friends and even Tim, who is now a balding, fat and drunken slob. He also runs into Jamie, who is now working her way through graduate school as a bartender. Thinking that he can finally get his high school love out of his system, Chris plans to woo and seduce Jamie. However, a number of unexpected problems, along with the growing realization that his friendship with Jamie really meant something to him, keep getting in the way. He bonds with Jamie on several occasions. During a friendly "day-date" of ice skating, Chris is injured in a game of hockey which results in him being taken away in an ambulance. Jamie is then reunited with the paramedic Dusty Dinkleman (Chris Klein
Chris Klein (actor)
Frederick Christopher "Chris" Klein is an American movie actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Chris "Oz" Ostreicher in the 1999 film American Pie and its sequel American Pie 2.-Early life:...
) who used to be a nerdy high school student also in love with her.
Meanwhile, Chris leaves his younger brother Mike (Christopher Marquette) to watch over Samantha. When Mike is in the bathroom brushing his teeth, Samantha pushes him against the wall and asks him where Chris is. Mike says he won't tell her, but since Samantha knows that he has a major crush on her, she tongue kisses him, and he confesses that Chris is with his "lover" (thinking that Chris already had sex with Jamie). Samantha becomes jealous of Chris leaving her for Jamie, believing that she and Chris are in a relationship. In an angry rage, Samantha destroys Jamie's family's Christmas decorations. Embarrassed, Chris returns home only to be visited by Jamie. She reveals that she is not mad at Chris and plans to spend the night with him, but Chris is still unable to make a move on Jamie and they just go to sleep.
The next day, Jamie goes to Darla and Clark's house, who are now married, to talk to Darla. In the meantime, Chris goes to Clark's workplace, a dentist's office, to talk to Clark. Jamie tells Darla what had happened the night before and that she is afraid Chris might not like her since he did not make a move on her. She says that they are "just friends." She said that she "put herself out there" to Chris, trying to prove that she wants to be in a relationship with him. In the meantime, Chris tells Clark that "the timing wasn't right" and since him and Jamie have a history together, he can't sleep with her. He says that it seems like high school all over again. Later, Chris and Clark catch Dusty singing to a sexy nurse and then kissing her. Dusty reveals to Chris and Clark that he only plans to have sex with Jamie and then humiliate her like he felt she used to do to him. Chris tries to warn Jamie about Dusty during a children's Christmas pageant, but instead ends up attacking Dusty and ruining the play. Jamie won't listen when Chris tells her about the nurse, leaving him angry and disappointed with Jamie and her family. Chris gets drunk and goes to the bar where Jamie works and ends up blaming her for keeping him in the friend zone and telling her that she'll never amount to anything. She punches him and gets him tossed out of the bar. Chris returns to LA only to realize that Jamie is the only one for him. Chris returns to New Jersey and goes to Jamie's house and finally declares his true love for her and kisses Jamie as the neighborhood kids watch.
Cast
- Ryan ReynoldsRyan ReynoldsRyan Rodney Reynolds is a Canadian film and television actor, best known for his roles in such films as National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Waiting..., The Amityville Horror, Just Friends, Definitely, Maybe, The Proposal, Buried, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Green Lantern.One of his best known...
as Chris Brander - Amy SmartAmy SmartAmy Lysle Smart is an American television and film actress and former fashion model.-Early life:Smart was born in Topanga, California. Her mother, Judy Lysle , worked at a museum, and her father, John Boden Smart, was a salesman...
as Jamie Palamino - Anna FarisAnna FarisAnna Kay Faris is an American actress, singer and comedienne. She is known for her starring role in the Scary Movie film series, as well as roles in The Hot Chick , Lost in Translation , Just Friends , My Super Ex-Girlfriend , Smiley Face , and The House Bunny...
as Samantha James - Chris KleinChris Klein (actor)Frederick Christopher "Chris" Klein is an American movie actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Chris "Oz" Ostreicher in the 1999 film American Pie and its sequel American Pie 2.-Early life:...
as Dusty Lee Dinkleman - Chris Marquette as Mike Brander
- Julie HagertyJulie HagertyJulie Hagerty is an American actress and former model.-Early life:Hagerty was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of Harriet Yuellig, a model and singer, and Jerry Hagerty, a musician. Her brother Michael Hagerty was also an actor. Her parents later divorced. Hagerty attended Indian Hill High...
as Carol Brander - Stephen RootStephen RootStephen Root is an American actor. He is best known for his comedic work on the TV sitcom NewsRadio, in the film Office Space and as the voice of Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland in the animated series King of the Hill...
as KC - Fred EwanuickFred EwanuickFred Ewanuick is a Canadian actor of Ukrainian and Italian heritage, known for his role in the television series Corner Gas as Hank Yarbo. He was also a regular in a CTV anthology series, Robson Arms.-Early life:...
as Clark - Amy MatysioAmy MatysioAmy Matysio is a Canadian theater, TV & movie actress.-Education:She holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Regina and has studied at University of York in England.-Awards:...
as Darla - Jacob Anderson as Mr. Palomino
- Maria Arcé as Athena
- Ty OlssonTy OlssonTyler "Ty" Olsson is a Canadian actor. He's best known for being the voice of the dragon Ord on Dragon Tales and for portraying real life 9/11 victim Mark Bingham in the A&E television movie Flight 93.-Life and career:...
as Tim - Todd Lewis as Kyle
- Ashley ScottAshley ScottAshley McCall Scott is an American actress. She is known for her work on television and in film including her roles in the television series Birds of Prey, Dark Angel and Jericho.-Acting career:...
as Janice
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
, then Reynolds's fiancée, made a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
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 Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and parts of Regina, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
.
Music
A soundtrackSoundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
was released November 22, 2005 on New Line Records
New Line Records
WaterTower Music is an American record label owned by Time Warner and operates as a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Founded to release movie soundtracks, the label has grown beyond this initial purpose and has built a roster of indie rock acts such as The Sounds, OFFICE, Robbers on High...
.
Track listing
- Ben LeeBen LeeBenjamin Michael "Ben" Lee is an ARIA Award winning musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He appeared as the protagonist in the Australian film The Rage in Placid Lake...
- "Catch My DiseaseCatch My Disease"Catch My Disease" is a single by Australian artist Ben Lee. It is from the album Awake Is the New Sleep, which was produced in U.S. The song gained moderate popularity and went to #27 in Australia, and also came in second place in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2005.The song also got some international...
" - Fountains of WayneFountains of WayneFountains of Wayne is an American power pop band that formed in New York City in 1996. The band consists of members Chris Collingwood, Adam Schlesinger, Jody Porter and Brian Young.-Early years:...
- "Hackensack" - Rogue WaveRogue Wave (band)Rogue Wave is an indie rock band from Oakland, California, , and headed by Zach Schwartz who created the band after losing his job in the dot-com bust. Their first album was Out of the Shadow which was released privately in 2003 and re-released in 2004...
- "Eyes" - Samantha JamesAnna FarisAnna Kay Faris is an American actress, singer and comedienne. She is known for her starring role in the Scary Movie film series, as well as roles in The Hot Chick , Lost in Translation , Just Friends , My Super Ex-Girlfriend , Smiley Face , and The House Bunny...
- "Forgiveness" - Brendan BensonBrendan BensonBrendan Benson is an American musician and songwriter. He sings and plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and drums. He has released four solo albums and is a member of the band The Raconteurs....
- "Cold Hands (Warm Heart)" - Robbers on High StreetRobbers on High StreetRobbers on High Street are an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York.-History:Robbers on High Street began performing publicly during the summer of 2002, but the band's roots stretch back much further. Ben Trokan and Steve "Sparky" Mercado have been friends since their preteen years growing up...
- "Big Winter" - The SightsThe SightsThe Sights are a rock and roll band from Detroit, Michigan, formed in 1998. Members include Eddie Baranek , Dave Tick Talkin Lawson , Gordon Smith and Skip Denomme . Former members include Mike Trombley, Mark Leahey, Nate Cavalieri, Matt Hatch, Bobby Emmett and Dave Knepp...
- "Waiting on a Friend" - Reed Foehl - "When It Comes Around"
- The LemonheadsThe LemonheadsThe Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band first formed in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member....
- "Into Your Arms" - 'Just Friends' Holiday Players - "Christmas, Christmas"
- "Dusty 'Lee' Dinkleman"Chris Klein (actor)Frederick Christopher "Chris" Klein is an American movie actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Chris "Oz" Ostreicher in the 1999 film American Pie and its sequel American Pie 2.-Early life:...
- "Jamie Smiles" - Samantha JamesAnna FarisAnna Kay Faris is an American actress, singer and comedienne. She is known for her starring role in the Scary Movie film series, as well as roles in The Hot Chick , Lost in Translation , Just Friends , My Super Ex-Girlfriend , Smiley Face , and The House Bunny...
- "Love from Afar" - Jeff Cardoni - "Just Friends Score Medley"
- All-4-OneAll-4-OneAll-4-One is a male R&B/pop group best known for their cover hit single "I Swear" from their self-titled 1994 debut album. The group comprises Jamie Jones, Delious Kennedy, Alfred Nevarez, and Tony Borowiak, all from the Antelope Valley and Mojave, California areas, but are based in the Los Angeles...
- "I SwearI Swear"I Swear" is a ballad written by Gary Baker and Frank J. Myers that became a hit for two acts in 1994. Initially it was a number one song on the U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for American country music artist John Michael Montgomery at the beginning of the year. His version crossed over...
" - Carly SimonCarly SimonCarly Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work...
- "Coming Around Again"
Original songs performed in the film
- "Forgiveness", performed multiple times by Anna Faris.
- "When Jamie Smiles", performed multiple times by Chris Klein
- "Love from Afar", performed by Anna Faris and Renee Sandstrom
- "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
Tony Blondal, , is a film and television orchestrator and conductor, and record arranger. He started out his musical career playing live and doing studio recording sessions...