Review of Friends with Money (2006) by Timothy E — 02 Nov 2007

(Originally written as part of a 2006 Top 10 List - Number 8).

If Woody Allen started writing and directing a new series of SEX IN THE CITY it might look something like this. A film where the neurosis behind every pair of Prada heels is laid bare.

On a basic level the film shouldn't work for a lot of people, since its concerned with not one but 3 sets of couples who have more money than most of us will ever dream of acquiring and whose biggest dilemma, at least on the surface is "what charity should we be giving money to this month and how much?".

A relief then that the titular FRIENDS WITH MONEY are played by the eclectic trio of Francis McDormand, Joan Cusack and Catherine Keener, (last seen getting a completely baffling and undeserved Oscar nomination for her less than substantial role in CAPOTE).

The central character is Jennifer Aniston's Olivia, (more on her performance in a moment), who is the only one of this group without substantial cash resources. She is trying to scrape a living together as a housemaid and is the only one of her friends not in a relationship. These relationships are central to the movie, and provide the unique couple dynamics that make this movie stand out.

The verbal interaction between the couples are the foundation upon which the film's characterizations are built and what Writer/Director Nicole Holofcener does with them is to make the women the ones earning equal or more amounts of money than their partners. In two of the relationships, as well as being their husband's equal, the women really seem to be the men of their marriages. They are take charge individuals, without ever nauseatingly leaning towards 90s girl power caricature, they command and commandeer their spousal interactions while the men (one of them fully embracing his metrosexual femininity) are at times downright subservient, and what?s more they seem to like it this way. This was an unusual power balance I hadn't seen before on screen and it lent the dialogue a certain unpredictability, setting up the fact that this is one relationship drama that refuses to go the tried and tested routes countless others have trod. Also what Holocener captures so well in these scenes is the heat of the moment gossipy nature of couples as they share news, titbits and opinions with their significant others. From this angle Watching FRIENDS WITH MONEY is a lot of the time, akin to sitting in a bar for a few hours and eavesdropping on nuggets of real life conversations, though this never sacrifices the entertainment value. Within these conversations there is wit and humor but there's also the shock of recognition at the varied corners of personality and life.

I guess with that, why I feel I can really recommend this film so highly is purely because I got so much enjoyment out of watching these characters talk to one another, go about their business, fall in love or fall out of love with each other, in scenarios that seemed truer to life rather than always going for the high moments of drama. In fact there's something about this film that I think will have an inherent rewatchability on DVD and I can see myself watching it with just as many guy friends as girls.

This movie is not to be underestimated as the sitcom that the movie's poster seems to sell it as. While it's chock full of smart dialogue, wry observational humour and bright characterizations it also touches a nerve in it's exploration of female jealously and the messy, unconcluded nature of life. Take this as fair warning because the movie's ending, doesn't wrap things up all neat and a put a little bow on top. But I gotta say that is what I loved about the movie. It's the most morose, downbeat chick flick I've come across, though as I said what keeps us onboard is that it's very observational and I think that's why guys would respond to this film equally so as much as girls, in fact it could also be deemed fairly educational, as I came away feeling I?d learned a lot more about the characteristics of the fairer sex.

In closing the review I'd to dwell on two performances I think are worth talking about, those of Catherine Kenner and Miss Aniston. Kenner has worked with Holofner on all her movies and as her movies have gone from strength to strength, improving with each step on a journey I've so far very much enjoyed, so have Keener's performances. I always think of these two as the female DeNiro/Scorcesse paring of the film world, hardly the same heavyweight duo, but one that's always going to get me to pay the price of admission regardless of the subject matter. I highly recommend you also check out LOVELY AND AMAZING and if you?re converted as I was, WALKING AND TALKING is also available on region 1 DVD While nothing Keener does will ever top her relentless belittling of my most despised of actors, the yappy ball-biting dog that is Ben Stiller in the classic Neil La Bute film YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS, due kudos must be given for her willingness not to draw upon her usual reservoir of whip smart, acidly sarcastic asides seen in that film and DEATH TO SMOOCHY to name just two. Keener shows more emotional depth, vulnerability and feeling here, as a woman with a degree of sensitivity that is broached by the somewhat callous emotional disregard of her husband. Great, great work and surely this is better than her role in CAPOTE any day of the week?

And now a word on Miss Aniston. She, I suppose is not the central character but certainly the movie's focal point, so it?s unfortunate that she proves to be the film?s weak link. Try as she might she never fully escapes the comfort zone of falling back on her Rachel persona from FRIENDS, this seems to me to be a reflex action of the realization that she's not in the same league and outclassed by her female co-leads. A doubly disappointing result, as 2002's excellent THE GOOD GIRL proved she had much more in her range than I and others suspected, yet in this film it appears to be a case of two steps forward, one step back.

Nevertheless please don't let that deter you in any way from seeing this very adult, sophisticated drama that is depressing and funny in equal measure.