Review of Friends with Money (2006) by Rachaelm. — 27 Apr 2006

Upon leaving the theater I probably would have rated this movie a 7. Films such as this one often suffer from having characters who appear soulless, joyless, and basically incapable of letting a little brightness into their interactions with others.

I suppose some filmakers begin the creative process with the idea that perkiness and optimism are uncool and belong nowhere in a film aiming to push the hip-o-meter to its limits. I found that this movie, however, had a time-release charm which needed about 24 hours to reach perfection.

In the hands of other actresses these characters may have been intollerably void of spark, but these ladies know what they're doing and leave enough humanity in their roles to make their struggles with ennui worth watching.

The male supporting cast is excellent. Their characters develop slowly and richly; perhaps even more so than their female counterparts. Those who are frustrated with slice-of-life type pictures that don't focus on one major conflict (that will, of course, become neatly resovled by the end of the film) may want to steer clear of this one.

Don't watch this one expecting to be spoon-fed a happily (or even sadly)-ever-after resolution. If you can appreciate a film which realistically portrays the delicate intricacy of human relationships, you should enjoy Friends with Money.