Boys and Girls, can we be just friends?
Boys and Girls, released in June of 2000, is a film about the ultimate question, can a guy and a girl be friends after sex? The answer in this film is no, they cannot. The film follows the story of Ryan Walker, played by Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Burrows, played by Claire Forlani. Their story begins when they meet on an airplane and continues when they run into each other at a high school football game. In the beginning of their story, they can not stand each other, but eventually learn how to be friends when they run into each other at UC Berkeley, where we follow their story for three more years. Fun fact about the film: according to imdb.com some of the students in the scenes at UC Berkeley were actual students, since the movie was filmed while class was going on.
Ryan Walker, as I said earlier is played by Freddie Prinze Jr., who may be better known for his role in the following films; I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), She’s All That (1999), Down to You (2000), and Scooby-Doo (2002). Being a youngster in the early 2000’s, I grew up with some of these movies and have to say, he was a pretty good actor back in the day. Recently though Prinze’s career has made a turn downward, he is more involved in producing TV series like; Movie Trivia Schmoedown, Robot Chicken, and Star Wars: Rebels. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t heard of these TV series, so I’d say he’s going out of style.
At the beginning of the film we meet Betty, played by Alyson Hannigan. Although she only played a small role in this film, she went on to land a bigger role in the hit TV series How I Met Your Mother. Hannigan is also known for her role in films American Pie and American Reunion, she also starred in another TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. One might say that her small role in this film, helped her break into the “bigger” roles she would later take on. Another star who would later go on to the American Pie series, is Jason Biggs. His role as Ryan’s comedic best friend or maybe just roommate, really helped make the movie into what it was.
The film may be geared towards a younger audience, but still had plenty to keep the rest of us entertained. Boys and Girls was a film that asked the question of whether or not guys and gals can be friends without having a sexual relationship. The film seemed to prove that this feat is impossible because eventually one party will fall in love with the other. I have to say that I disagree with this conclusion, though. I believe that friends can be of the opposite sex and still have a functioning relationship. Perhaps a study could be done on this topic that could prove me wrong or even right. I think that would be an interesting field of study.
Overall, I thought the film was done very well. There is something about movies made in the early 2000s to the late 1990s, that really catches my eye, I think maybe it’s the style or fashion of the time. The film seemed to be made for everyone, if a family was to sit down and watch the film, I think there are parts that everyone could enjoy. I would recommend this film to those that enjoy a good 2000s era type of comedy. Like I said earlier, I think that men and women can be just friends, but what do I know?
