4/5
The One With The Reunion.
104 Mins. Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc & David Schwimmer. Director: Ben Winston.
So no one told you 2020 was going to be that way like your jobs a joke, broke, love life DOA. It just wasn't our day, week, month...or yep, even our year. But now your favourite twentysomethings a little grey here and there, most the same shape ("speak for yourself", one cast member hilariously counters) are here to take us out of second gear for the 'Friends' reunion. And like the official Twitter account meta joked with its first tweet, "we were on a break, what happened?" Well, the rain started to pour. But these friends are still there for you like a Rembrandt. Remember? Just like they've been there before. 90's nostalgia. There's nothing like it. In the same week the late, great DMX's last album barks in 'Exodus', it's time to party up...like it really is 1999. These Kings and Queens of New York were Manhattan like manhole covers. Before 'Sex and the City' and after 'Seinfeld'. This was New York like the Knicks, Sinatra on Broadway, or the late, great Larry King live for your Saturday night. The names Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, Perry, LeBlanc and Schwimmer, or should we say Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey and Ross in bright Times Square lights. Part of the reason you wanted to take a bite out of the Big Apple...or a pretzel, or hot dog on a side street. Carrying the torch like Lady Liberty. As important to this town as the Subway and as iconic as a yellow Metro card that gets you there. A monument to this city like Bloomingdales or the yellow cab you couldn't fit all those bags in. All as you asked the driver how to get you to Central Perk. Although like County General hospital in Chicago (look for the Gloria Reuben led 'ER' reunion to benefit Earth Day starring George Clooney, Noah Wyle, Anthony Edwards and more coming soon), it doesn't exist. Despite popping up in faux tribute locations around the world (I miss the two that used to be in Liverpool). Something akin to Beatlemania this is the one that has been watched around the world more than 70 million times. Tuning in to open those colourful umbrellas every night like the piano establishing skyline of 'Frasier', tossing even that competition like salad until it was scrambled egg (still my favourite show though, don't bump two fists as me 'Friends'). And then almost 20 years ago it all ended. That's two decades ago...feel even older yet? Is this still CNN. Like Jerry Seinfeld turning down millions each episode for his hallway comedy about nothing, or Will Smith's Prince standing in his empty kingdom of a Bel-Air mansion stripped, all the way down to the sofa. 'Friends' no more.
WE ARE NO LONGER ON A BREAK! Because back like regular scheduled programming this is 'The One Were They Get Back Together' and take an actual couch in front of that fountain poll to whether Ross and Rachel were actually on one or not. Not to mention what Ross really thinks about his first love...Marcel. All before dropping the biggest bombshell that's been hiding in plain sight for years that we could not even begin to spoil (but where's my favourite Eddie like a 'Frasier' dog?) like the many cast cameos here amongst the catwalk of celebrity memories. Reminiscent resonates from everyone from football legend David Beckham to the biggest boy band in the world BTS (who both know a thing or two about giggawatt superstardom) and a special duet for 'Smelly Cat'. What are they feeding you here? This trifle has more layers than one of Rachel's. Meat? GOOOOD! Pure don't touch that DIAL (or eat MY SANDWICH) gold hosted by hallmark Late Night party starter James Corden. Back when the Brit abroad was doing 'Gavin and Stacey' no one would of told HIM it was going to be this way. Da-da-da-da, da. But in this Zoomed age of a 'Community' of reunions that took us through the planets pandemic, safe at home with the comfort of our couch and the fictional friends we used to know across a stream of shows that turned into live action ones like 'The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air Reunion' of catharsis (hey Auntie!) and the inspired, inventive 'A West Wing Special To Benefit 'When We All Vote'' for Michelle Obama, the Biden administration and now these United again States theatrical episode staged with the new mayor of weekly TV ('This Is Us' icon Sterling K. Brown stepping in for the late, great John Spencer's Leo McGarry), what happened to our friends?
Never having to serve a coffee ever again, Jennifer Aniston became a bonafide movie star (please tell me you've seen her Oscar worthy slice in 'Cake'?). Switching Ross for Adam Sandler like Russ, having the most beautiful and brutal 'Break-Up' of truth said in jest with Vince Vaughn and explicitly stealing the show from the likes of Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Colin Farrell, Chris Pratt AND Jamie Foxx in 'Horrible Bosses'. Courtney Cox took a stab at the 'Scream' franchise and made a killing like scary movies. Lisa Kudrow of 'The Comeback' fame was spotted in my seaside hometown of Southport (WTF?!). Matthew Perry overcame personal problems (those making derogatory comments about how a recovering addict looks and sounds after dental surgey on social media need to learn from what the Internet said about a thin Chadwick Boseman when they didn't know the half of it regarding the late, great actor) to star in 'The West Wing' creator Aaron Sorkin's 'Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip' with Bradley Whitford and art imitating life in an inspired performance of outlasting an onslaught of struggle that should have seen a second season. Matt LeBlanc had his own spin-off show (funny no one mentions the actual delightful 'Joey') and then went on to have success on these shores, meta playing an exaggerated version of himself in 'Episodes' before changing lanes and being a competent, compelling host of 'Top Gear'. Now how you doing? And David Schwimmer leading us back on to set in an emotional embrace (I'm not crying...we're all crying. Especially when Matthew Perry says "ahhh it's good to see you Matty" too his old roommate with resignation to the fact its been so long as they recline in their iconic leather seats) has done it all from playing a Kardashian ('The People Vs OJ Simpson') to a gangster that looks like David Seaman ('The Iceman'). Not to forget his classic response, can and clothes perfect to viral security footage of a thief in the UK that caught on camera looked a lot like him (it was Russ). But now back where they belong like getting off the plane the gangs all here and LIKE many a Ross margarita meme in this social media age "I'm fine". These underrated Buster Keaton's of physical comedy on equal star-billing with no new series or movie in sight thanks to their happy endings tied with a beautiful bow, perfectly fitting. This is the one you should all get ready for unlike my favourite episode I watched by chance with a binging friend a couple weeks back for my first 'Friends' reunion in over a decade. But don't take my word for it as you take the essence of your chair before Chandler does. Wear all of your clothes and lunge into this one as fans around the world tell you just how much these 'Friends' mean to us. In table reads, reenactments and quiz tributes, as well as beautiful blooper and behind the scenes footage (not to mention a before they were famous look at some shows the stars had on deck before (like Perry's peculiar space comedy set in an alien LAX of the future) and the Ursula origins of Phoebe in another series) to classic creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, Kevin S. Bright. Directed by the 'Carpool Karaoke' of 'The Late, Late Show With James Corden's' Ben Winston, this is everything to those who grew up with these Friends next door. All this and we still don't know what Chandler's job is. Clap your hands together five times for this. Couch potatoes, back on the sofa and on this set. From Central Perk to a Central Park fountain, this is one friends zone you want to be put in. Could this BE any better? TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Friends', 'A West Wing Special To Benefit 'When We All Vote'', 'The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air Reunion'.
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