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The GW Hatchet

AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

Sundance film review: ‘Friends with Money’

In a festival replete with films exploring life versus death, money versus death, various forms of death and, of course, young boys exploring their sexual maturity with older women, a witty film about the superficial hysterics that accompany a wealthy lifestyle is a breath of fresh air.

Nicole Holofcener’s “Friends With Money” explores the relationship dynamics among three abundantly rich couples and their one single friend, who banks on the free makeup samples at the mall. Fluttering with an all-star cast including Jennifer Aniston, Joan Cusack, Frances McDormand and Jason Isaacs, the movie could not feel more mainstream, in what might often be considered the lost sea of waving independent films.

“Friends With Money” functions as an insight, a peak into the comical and quirky lives of some characters that are all too similar to people we know in our everyday lives. Even though the film stars Jennifer Aniston, widely regarded as America’s sweetheart, it really functions as an ensemble piece.

And a strong ensemble it is, all delivering their lines with a kind of spontaneous intimacy that lures the audience into a relaxed critical state of the antics that occur, allowing viewers to comment along with Aniston’s observations of her friends, “I can’t believe this.” It’s fun, it’s fresh and – given the star-studded cast – will most likely be in theaters at some point. And with an industry that glamorizes wealth and the acquiring of it, it doesn’t hurt once in a while to watch characters donate $2 million to their child’s school and think, “You’ve got to be kidding.”

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