Friends with Money 2006

Olivia is a single woman in Los Angeles, struggling to make ends meet as she cleans houses after leaving her teaching career behind. Among her circle of affluent friends are Franny—a stay-at-home mom with a sizable trust fund—Christine, a television writer, and Jane, a fashion designer, along with their spouses.

Still nursing wounds from a fleeting affair with a married man, Olivia reluctantly agrees to a blind date set up by Franny with her trainer, Mike. The evening takes a turn for the worse, but Mike seeks to redeem himself by tagging along on one of Olivia’s cleaning jobs, providing only minimal assistance. Though he requests a portion of her payment, Olivia, feeling pressure, acquiesces. As their relationship unfolds, Mike continues to invade Olivia’s work life, taking a slice of her earnings until Olivia summons the bravery to confront him about his inconsiderate behavior and ultimately ends their relationship.

On another front, Christine grapples with an unstable marriage to David. The couple’s constant bickering raises concerns among their friends about their future. To complicate matters further, Christine struggles with a script they are working on together while construction for a new addition to their home stirs up animosity with their neighbors. Upon realizing that their contentious feelings stem from the addition obstructing their views, Christine seeks to quell the discord. David remains indifferent to the neighbors’ grievances, provoking Christine’s frustration over his emotional detachment. Following their decision to part ways, Christine briefly descends into despair over David’s absence but finds solace in her nanny’s concern—something she had longed for from David.

Meanwhile, Jane is caught in her battle against negativity and depression, often taking it out on those around her. Her husband, Aaron, who runs a shampoo company, finds her style and demeanor disappointing, especially as she has stopped grooming herself. He confronts her after a particularly explosive event during a brunch with another male friend also named Aaron. Through this confrontation, Jane finally recognizes her mental struggles, admitting that she has lost the excitement of exploring life.

Franny, alongside her spouse Matt, basks in their financial affluence, residing in a lavish home with ample household help and free from employment responsibilities. While their wealth seems to shield their marriage from tension, Franny often feels uneasy about Matt’s extravagant spending habits.

The friends join forces for a charity fundraiser aimed at ALS, organized with Franny’s generosity in securing a table. During the event, Jane finally takes the step of washing her hair, making amends with Aaron. Olivia, having transitioned from cleaning houses to a new job, finds herself dating Marty, a quirky former client with whom she discovers shared interests.

The following morning after the charity event, Marty divulges that he does not work, as he has inherited considerable wealth. As they lounge in bed discussing the redecoration of Marty’s house, they connect on a more profound level, both acknowledging personal challenges that they need to face together.