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"FRIENDS WITH MONEY" (2006) (Jennifer Aniston, Frances McDormand) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Minor Heavy None None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None None None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy *Minor Heavy Moderate Minor QUICK TAKE: Drama: A group of friends of varying financial states sorts through their own and each other's personal and interpersonal issues. PLOT: Olivia (JENNIFER ANISTON), Jane (FRANCES MCDORMAND), Franny (JOAN CUSACK) and Christine (CATHERINE KEENER) are longtime friends who couldn't be any more different. While Franny wonders what to do with the riches she's attained through her successful husband Matt (GREG GERMANN), Olivia works as a maid, cleaning others' homes -- such as that of unemployed Marty (BOB STEPHENSON) -- after giving up a career of teaching. Christine writes scripts with her husband David (JASON ISAACS) but their marriage is anything but a hit. And wildly successful fashion designer Jane is completely unhappy with her life, a viewpoint that befuddles her husband Aaron (SIMON McBURNEY) who runs his own organic bath company. While Christine and David try to work around their home expansion, Franny tries fixing up Olivia with her physical trainer, Mike (SCOTT CAAN). He's just interested in sleeping with her, but gets her thinking about changing careers again, although she gets mad at Franny when she won't help finance that endeavor. Meanwhile, Christine continues with her belief that Aaron is gay, a point reinforced when he starts to hang out with Aaron (TY BURRELL), a married man who finds a kindred spirit in him. As the various friends sort through their own and the others' personal issues, the issue of monetary differences repeatedly comes into play regarding how the men and women interact with each other. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Some older teens might be interested in it, but unless that's the case and/or they're fans of someone in the cast, it doesn't seem likely that a lot of kids will be. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For language, some sexual content and brief drug use. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: JENNIFER ANISTON plays a former teacher turned maid who isn't happy in her personal or romantic life. She's cheap, has sex with several men, smokes pot and uses strong profanity. She also goes through, uses and even steals some of her client's belongings. FRANCES MCDORMAND plays her friend, a fashion designer who's similarly not happy with life in general and thus both gets ticked off about rudeness and is depressed about the human existence. She stops shampooing her hair, is generally angry and uses strong profanity. JOAN CUSACK plays their happily married friend who's rich thanks to her husband, and questions Olivia's decisions but wants her to be happy and tries setting her up with Mike. She uses some profanity. CATHERINE KEENER plays a writer who works with her husband but isn't happy in either arrangement. She uses strong profanity and eventually separates from him. GREG GERMANN plays Franny's rich husband who handsomely provides for his family but not blatantly in front of others. SIMON McBURNEY plays Jane's husband who's in touch with his feminine side, a quality that causes others to think he's gay, including a gay man that hits on him. JASON ISAACS plays Christine's no-nonsense husband and writing partner who doesn't show her the compassion she needs in their relationship. He uses strong profanity. SCOTT CAAN plays a physical trainer who latches onto Olivia, for both sex and a cut of her house-cleaning income. He uses strong profanity. TY BURRELL plays a man who strikes up a friendship with Aaron (thus making us think he's gay, but he's married, albeit in a strained relationship due to not being able to have kids). BOB STEPHENSON plays an unemployed guy who hires Olivia to clean his house, low balls her price, but then turns out to be a decent and very rich guy who's divorced with a 10-year-old daughter. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 23 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Sexually related dialogue (some of it explicit in nature) is present, as is a sexual encounter (with movement and sounds) and other off-screen and/or implied ones. A maid apparently uses a client's vibrator, while she's later seen in a skimpy "French maid" outfit that shows a little partial nudity. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, including among married couples, leading to varying amounts of tense family material. Some potentially imitative behavior is present (including Jennifer Aniston's character smoking pot), while various characters drink and there's some brief smoking-related material. Finally, a character turns and accidentally runs face-first into a plate glass window, breaking her nose, while some thematic elements (a person questioning their existence, etc.) are present. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's some slight, handheld camera movement from time to time. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE The friends have wine or drinks while together. Jane says that Olivia is a pothead. About Olivia, Franny says she bets she'd get really stoned and be a cleaning maniac. Olivia and Mike have beer. Mike goes through another person's fridge (where Olivia is working), commenting on the booze in the freezer. He then pulls out a large bag of pot and says the owner has to get drunk or stone to think she's eating real food (referring to all of the low-fat and other such food there). He then asks Olivia if she ever smokes any of that pot and Olivia says she doesn't, but smokes her own. Some miscellaneous people have wine in a restaurant. Aaron and his new friend Aaron have wine. Miscellaneous people drink in a bar. The two Aarons and their wives have drinks with dinner. Our group as well as others have wine and/or champagne at a fundraiser reception. Olivia smokes pot at least 4 times (once sharing the joint with Marty who we see take it, but not smoke it) and may smoke more several more times (we couldn't tell if it was a cigarette or joint in several scenes). BLOOD/GORE We see a little blood that's soaked through the bandage covering Jane's broken nose. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE We see Olivia's hands repeatedly opening and closing a bedroom drawer in a client's house until she eventually retrieves a vibrator and turns it on (we only see her hand and don't see its use). About Aaron, Christine tells others, "He's so gay" (a thought she reiterates several times in the film). A miscellaneous person drives around Jane, gives her "the finger" and cusses her out. Later seeing that person, Jane coughs out, "Asshole." Jane makes fun of the name of an acquaintance's child (that sounds like "tall" to her). Concerned that their son wasn't playing with balls, Franny wonders what's wrong with him, with Matt saying he was probably playing with other boys who don't play with balls, prompting Franny to make a comment about them being "little gay boys." She then wonders if Matt would be upset if their son were gay, with him saying he just wouldn't want his son's life to be any more painful. Olivia repeatedly calls a guy and then hangs up without saying anything (we later learn it's a married man with whom she had a fling). Mike ends up talking to a former childhood friend rather than Olivia on their blind date. David tells Christine that she's "eating a lot of sh*t recently" and that you can see it on her "ass" (which increases the marital tension between them that gets worse as the story progresses). Mike goes through another person's fridge (where Olivia is working), commenting on the stuff inside there. Jane is bitter about most everything and everyone in her life. Various characters gossip or speculate about others without knowing all of the facts. Despite doing practically nothing to help her, Mike repeatedly asks Olivia for a cut of her house cleaning money (he also uses her for sex while seeing another woman). Olivia gets mad at Franny when she won't give her money to take a training course without asking her husband first (and due to Franny saying she'd pay for Olivia to see a therapist to get her life in order). Christine's neighbor is upset with her over the construction of their addition (that turns out to be blocking her view). Some people cut in front of Jane at a store's check out line, causing her to get rude toward them, the clerk and the manager. When Olivia tells the woman who answers the phone who she is, the woman replies, "Olivia? My husband's one-night stand?" Olivia then says yes, if you call two weeks one night. Olivia steals some expensive cosmetics from a client's house. Olivia tries to act as if she doesn't know Marty (her unemployed and plain-looking client) when he spots her in a grocery store. FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "That would really be f*cked up," "F*ck you," "F*ck that," "With their stupid f*cking faces," "F*ck all of you guys," "F*ck off," "I would if I f*cking could," "What the f*ck /did you think/is the difference?" "So f*cking huge," "You're a f*ck," "F*ck you," "This is pretty f*cking small," "I don't give a sh*t what you do," "I'm a sh*t-head," "I just went ape-sh*t back there," "You're eating a lot of sh*t recently," "You're sh*tting me," "That is such bullsh*t," "Oh sh*t," "You're pathetic," "He's so gay," "Are you crazy?" "You idiot," "Are you stupid?" "Jerk," "Schmuck," "What a piggy," "Sounds like a real putz," "What the hell is that?" "What the hell are you doing?" "Shut up" and "Who has a serious bug up her ass." *A miscellaneous person drives around Jane, gives her "the finger" and cusses her out. Later seeing that person, Jane coughs out, "Asshole." Olivia takes advantage of cosmetic counters giving out free samples of their product to stock up on that for herself (and not have to pay for any of it). Olivia repeatedly calls a guy and then hangs up without saying anything (we later learn it's a married man with whom she had a fling). Olivia smokes pot at least 4 times (once sharing the joint with Marty who we see take it, but not smoke it) and may smoke more several more times (we couldn't tell if it was a cigarette or joint in several scenes). JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 23 "f" words (3 used sexually), 17 "s" words, 2 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck"), 1 for breasts ("t*ts"), 6 asses (1 used with "hole"), 2 hells, 1 crap, 10 uses of "God," 9 of "Oh my God," 4 of "Jesus," 2 of "My God" and 1 use each of "Oh God" and "Swear to God." SEX/NUDITY We see Olivia's hands repeatedly opening and closing a bedroom drawer in a client's house until she eventually retrieves a vibrator and turns it on (we only see her hand and don't see its use). Jane says that Christine and David haven't had sex in a year and then says, "Do you know she has never seen his asshole?" Talking to Mike, Franny asks if he "f*cked at" some place with some woman and asks if they did it in the sink. He says they did it up against a wall and that the woman is into public places and getting caught. Franny then tries to fix him up with Olivia, saying the latter would "f*ck you in a bed." He then asks, "How are her t*ts?" and Franny replies that they're up and really good. Reading some of her writing about a fictitious character, Christine says, "We have amazing sex." Another man encourages Aaron to try on a shirt (thus prompting him to remove the one he's wearing first). That man then slightly comes on to him, but Aaron indicates he's married. Olivia shows a little cleavage. Mike and Olivia briefly do some passionate, clothed kissing while standing. Aaron tells Christine that maybe if she and David had more sex they'd get along better. She then asks him and Jane if they have sex often (he says yes, she says no) and they then comment that Franny and Matt probably have lots of sex since they're rich. Despite doing practically nothing to help her, Mike repeatedly asks Olivia for a cut of her house cleaning money (he also uses her for sex while seeing another woman). While in a client's house, Mike tells Olivia, "Let's f*ck here," but she says no. About Mike, Franny asks Olivia, "How was the sex?" Olivia says it was fun, but that he never looked at her (and Franny then makes a comment about what sounded like "hate sex" with Olivia replying in the negative to that). Aaron climbs on top of Jane under the covers while both are in their bedclothes. He starts to kiss on her, but she's not in the mood and nothing else happens. When Olivia tells the woman who answers the phone who she is, the woman replies, "Olivia? My husband's one-night stand?" Olivia then says yes, if you call two weeks one night. Mike finds the client's vibrator that Olivia earlier used. Mike says he has a Christmas present for Olivia and we then see her dressed in the stereotypical French maid's outfit (short skirt, low-cut top that shows cleavage, etc.). Olivia then follows his orders of cleaning parts of the house (and we see just the lower part of her bare butt in that short skirt, but she eventually gets fed up and says, "I thought this whole maid thing was about sex." We see Mike on top of Olivia under the covers, having sex. We see movement, his bare back and her bored expression, all while hearing his sexual sounds. We see Aaron shirtless while shaving. We see Olivia in bed with Marty, presumably after sex (she's sitting up and holds the sheets across her chest -- we see her bare shoulders -- while he's in a t-shirt and boxers). SMOKING There are several scenes where the ladies talk about Matt still smoking, but we never see him actually doing it (he gets up to leave to do so, but returns saying it wouldn't be allowed where they are). Olivia may smoke cigarettes a few times (we couldn't tell if it was a cigarette or joint in several scenes). TENSE FAMILY SCENES Concerned that their son wasn't playing with balls, Franny wonders what's wrong with him, with Matt saying he was probably playing with other boys who don't play with balls, prompting Franny to make a comment about them being "little gay boys." She then wonders if Matt would be upset if their son were gay, with him saying he just wouldn't want his son's life to be any more painful. David tells Christine that she's "eating a lot of sh*t recently" and that you can see it on her "ass" (which only increases the marital tension between them). Christine and David bicker both in real life and in the fiction they're writing. Aaron climbs on top of Jane under the covers while both are in their bedclothes. He starts to kiss on her, but she's not in the mood and nothing else happens. Aaron's new friend Aaron talks of the inability to have children with his wife putting a strain on his relationship with her. When Olivia tells the woman who answers the phone who she is, the woman replies, "Olivia? My husband's one-night stand?" Olivia then says yes, if you call two weeks one night. We hear that Marty is divorced and has a 10-year-old daughter. We hear that Christine is now separated from David (and we then see that their house is for sale). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT How money can affect one's view of others and friendships/relationships. Gossiping or speculating about others without knowing all of the facts about them. ALS (there's brief talk of that and the group attends a fundraiser for it). The fact that Jane is bitter about most everything in her life. Jane's comment about life that it's like they're just waiting to die. Jane asking what the point is of washing one's hair when it will just get dirty again (Aaron says it's what civilized people do). VIOLENCE Mad at rude people in a store (and after being told to leave), Jane throws down her store items and turns, accidentally running into a plate glass window (breaking her nose -- we see her fall to the floor). Several times during the film, Christine bumps her legs into things and once burns her hand in the kitchen (but is okay after some initial pain). Reviewed March 27, 2006 / Posted April 21, 2006

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