Can you fall in love with someone who calls you "a friend"? That's the central question of Just Friends, a comedy about an overweight young man (Ryan Reynolds) who struggles to win the heart of his friend, a blond cheerleader named Jamie. Later, when he's slimmed down, successful, and a relentless womanizer, the two run into each other again. How much has really changed? Does he stand a better chance of winning her now that he's lost both the weight and his soul?
The movie isn't winning any hearts among Christian film critics.
Christopher Lyon (
David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) says, "Despite ending on an admirably sentimental note, director Roger Kumble's film is forced and witless, its humor alternating between unfunny and mean-spirited."
Most mainstream critics are rejecting the film.