Oracle Online

Friends is the tale of four female friends, three of whom are cookie-cutter upper-class and the fourth is a former teacher-turned-maid. The film follows these four women as their lives are torn apart, while nothing of value to the plot seems to happen.

Certainly there are life decisions made, and people’s life outlooks shift, but you won’t care about any of it. Trust me. Nearly every character is either too whiny or too ambiguous to ever take your attention.

In particular, you’ll find yourself ignoring Aniston. After shaping one of television’s most affable career women as Rachel Green, Aniston hasn’t been able to form a viewable creation on the silver screen. Here, she just can’t seem to forge believability as a Los Angeles maid. Maybe it’s because in real life she spends $100 on shampoo, but Aniston is about as plausible turning down beds as, well, Jennifer Lopez was in Maid in Manhattan. Additionally, Aniston’s persona as the depressed lady caught adrift isn’t very well-worn, and instead of trying to find your own life within her character, you simply want to shake her and yell for her to return to teaching.

Her friends aren’t much better, with or without money. McDormand is mad at the world, though it has nothing to do with her potentially gay husband, but because people cut in front of her at Old Navy.

McDormand’s character is one-note, and you can tell that director Nicole Holofcener surely had a bigger plan for her; yet, like Aniston, this talented star grates on your nerves instead of tugging at your heartstrings.

Cusack’s character is more or less managable to watch, but the script seems to have left her out of the story. Cusack is shoved into the stock role of ¤ber-wealthy housewife, and the audience is left to fill in the blanks on her happiness. This tragic misuse of one of America’s premiere comediennes is just another felony in a long line of films that Cusack has created since her Oscar-nominated turn in In & Out.

The only friend with any sort of enthrall is Keener, who is watching her marriage fall apart amidst the reconstruction of her posh condo. Her playful banter with Jason Isaacs, which turns from sexy to downright vindictive, will make you realize that these are two of the best yet underused actors working.

Even with the routine script that these women are asked to work under, they still make you hold out for a little something extra. Perhaps if Holofcener had spent more time with this dissolving marriage, and less with the crummy Aniston, Money would have been worth the cash.