JUST FRIENDS

"You'll always be fat to me Chris!"

Every since he met her, Chris Brander (Reynolds) has loved Jamie Palamino (Smart) and as they graduated from High School as the class of 1995 he thought it was about time he told her how she felt. The problem was that Jamie has only ever seen Chris as her overweight best friend she shared everything and once the rest of school found out how he felt, they made his life a living hell. Years later Chris has lost weight and transformed himself into a successful music producer in Los Angeles, with a string of beautiful women on his arm but when a problem with his private jet means he has to make a stop in New Jersey, he returns how and has to see Jamie again.

The sight of Ryan Reynolds in a fat suit is enough to make anyone laugh but can this seasonal romantic comedy be heavy or light weight?

Most people have had a time when they fallen for a friend but that boy or girl has never seen them as anything else but their mate. The thought that you have to change yourself dramatically to make them notice you as something more than just their buddy can become all consuming for some and this is what makes the premise of 'Just Friends' quite good.

Ryan Reynolds is making a name for himself in both dramatic and comedic roles. For 'Just Friends' he returns to his comedy roots and plays the fat kid turned West Coast sensation with all of his usual verve and exuberance. He excels while wearing the remarkably good fat suit, making Chris as pathetic as he needed to be to allow he to be seen as nothing other than a friend for the best looking girl in high school, Jamie Palamino. As the new look Chris he has to change but he skilfully combines the old and new versions to show that you can never really change that much. Amy Smart is carving a niche for herself as an object of people's affections and little more. This is a shame as she is clearly a gifted as well as beautiful actress who could easily take on more dramatic roles. She is still good as Jamie however but the role isn't much of a stretch for her.

The supporting characters are also well played. Chris Klein returns to comedy as loser turned heartthrob Dusty Dinkleton, the main competition for Chris with Jamie. Anna Faris is suitably over the top as It-Girl turned pop music wanabe Samantha. Chris Marquette is very funny as Chris's Samantha obsessed brother Mike and there is a welcome return to comedy for Julie Haggerty as Chris's ditsy mother.

'Just Friends' is a funny romantic comedy that makes a great date movie. While it might not have many laugh-out-load moments, there is still much to enjoy here as the performances from Ryan Reynolds and the rest of the cast make it a lot better than it should have been. Just make sure you don't take someone to see this during the day, as it just leads to the 'Friendship Zone'.