| FRIENDS WITH MONEY |
 2006 - USADirector: Nicole Holofcener
- Reviewed by Linda
The divine Catherine Keener, the kick-ass Frances McDormand, and the woefully underappreciated gem Joan Cusack play the titular friends who are financially very well off to extremely rich. Jennifer Aniston, who I still like to believe has potential to get out of that pesky Rachel shadow, plays the not-so-rich friend whom the others pity, but keep around anyway. None of the women are really hateful despite various levels of snarkiness, and this is a testament to the magnetism of the fabulous actresses and the sharp yet sometimes surprisingly moving script by director/writer Nicole Holofcener. Returning to my phone-book allegory, not much happens in Friends With Money, which could either make you crazy, or you can roll with it like I did. There is not really a dramatic climax or a moment where the characters change and grow. Kind of like real life, actually—that is, if your main problems in life are what to do with that extra $2 million hanging around, or how high to build the addition on your house (despite the fact that it blocks the view of your neighbors). Aniston's character, a teacher-turned-maid, probably is the most relatable for us average folk, as she struggles finacially and romantically. But call me surprised when I found myself most moved by McDormand's rich fashion designer having a mid-life crisis in her 43rd year when she asks herself (of her perfectly nice life with perfectly nice maybe-gay husband, the wonderful Simon McBurney), "Is this it?" Though Friends With Money may not quite be on par with Nicole Holofcener's previous women-centric comedy/dramas (don't you DARE say "chick flicks") Walking and Talking and Lovely & Amazing, it is still definitely worth a look if you crave, oh, I don't know, intelligent and well-written filmmaking. You could certainly be spending your time with a lot less-worthy actresses than these four. |
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Friends With Money is one of those films that will test the old adage of, "I love that actress so much, I'd watch her read the phone book for two hours." The film has a rock-star cast of character actresses whom anyone in their right mind would indeed patiently and worshipfully listen to recite the white-page residential listings with dramatic flair. You have to admit, these characters don't do a heck of a lot other than bitch and moan and be very rich.
