Institute History
Description
Friends with Money portrays a world we may think we know all too well: the liberal, professional, sophisticated lives of women and their husbands on the west side of Los Angeles. But director Nicole Holofcener's depiction is so authentic and detailed, so exact and honest, that it's like seeing something familiar for the first time. And the film is constructed with a discerning eye and a tone that's both loving and funny, its characters are fully fleshed out by a great ensemble cast, and it boasts a witty, carefully crafted script.
Jennifer Aniston, Frances McDormand, Joan Cusack, and Catherine Keener are a quartet of lifelong friends; three of them have achieved a certain level of success and financial comfort and now enjoy lives that focus around their husbands and offspring, friends, and various social activities. Olivia (Aniston), however, faces a different dilemma: because she recently quit her job and is cleaning houses in the interim, she is unclear about her future and even the state of her longtime friendships. As all their worlds evolve and then fracture, their comfortable milieu may be facing real changes.
Like a great Russian playwright, Holofcener flawlessly addresses the social and the personal, class and gender, and the frustrating aspects of people's day-to-day lifestyles, especially the uniqueness of each couple's relationship. Simply put, this is marvelous filmmaking and a pleasure to watch. Friends with Money's voices and vision will remain with us long after the film ends.