Many people might not have thought of the movie Just Friends, starring Ryan Reynolds and Amy Smart, as a timeless romantic comedy from its initial release. When the film's competition that year included The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Bewitched and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Just Friends received little recognition. The movie had mixed reviews from critics, but audiences overall have rated the film highly in comparison. And as time has progressed and streaming became more available to general audiences, Just Friends seems to keep its place in trending, proving that the movie might qualify as a cult classic.
Reynolds has become a mega superstar over the years by landing two superhero roles as Green Lantern and Deadpool. The actor's most recent film, The Adam Project, even set a new Netflix record by becoming the seventh most popular English language original film. And Reynolds's increased popularity over the years might have directly impacted the overall reception of Just Friends, as he gave his all comedy-wise in the movie. As he has proven his dedication to his dynamic acting ability over the years, this film has remained a significant milestone for his career, adding to its relevancy for general audiences.
At the time of release, Anna Faris was famous for her roles in the first three films in the Scary Movie franchise. She also had a role in Waiting..., another film she made with Reynolds. Their pairing in Just Friends was perfect because Faris became iconic for her ability to play the ditsy character for comedic effect, and Reynolds had mastered playing the straight-man. His dry comedy became a trend for him in comedic roles, and his ability to seem unaffected aided in his performances in things like The Amityville Horror and Buried, which both received critical acclaim. But his dynamic with Faris in Just Friends was goofy in a way that created the movie's more outrageous moments.
Just Friends mixed sweet moments between Chris (Reynolds) and Jamie (Smart) with the ridiculous subplot between Samantha James (Faris) and Chris. There were also various physical comedy bits for Chris, including fights with his brother and being thrown a far distance during a hockey game where he became injured. The physical comedy elements of the PG-13 film made it appropriate for children to join in on the fun without necessarily understanding the raunchier scenes or becoming bored during the romantic moments, making the movie a great family film to enjoy around the winter holiday season.
And while there are some problematic moments in the film that date it quite a bit, including the fat suit for comedic effect and the sexist view of female and male friendships, the movie overall has aged well. Compared to raunchy comedies of the time, Just Friends kept the story relatively sweet, and Chris consistently suffered the consequences of his toxic views about intersex friendships, especially when Jamie realizes how he's thought of her throughout their friendship. Her reaction was realistic, and he earned his punishment at the end of the film, which wasn't always the case in comedies during the early 2000s.
Chris learns his lesson by the end and gives a heartfelt apology to Jamie, ending the movie on a positive note often necessary for romantic comedies. Just Friends was just sweet, silly and fun enough to stay trending on streaming platforms today, especially when Reynolds continues to climb his way to the height of stardom. It might not be his best performance, but Just Friends will always be an interesting footnote in the actor's career.
