Just Friends

"With benefits."

2019 1h 24m NL

👍

7.1

SOLID

★7.1TMDB · 100

RomanceDramaComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Joris is trying to come to terms with his broken family relationships on the 10th anniversary of his father’s death when he meets the free-spirited, Yad. Also dealing with family issues, Yad has returned home to The Netherlands after living on his own. Joris and Yad spark an instant connection and decide they want to be more than “just friends,” but fear their families could threaten their relationship.

“With benefits.”

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Cast

Josha Stradowski
Joris Wierijn
Majd Mardo
Yad Mousa
Jenny Arean
Ans
Tanja Jess
Simone
Nazmiye Oral
Maryam
Sjoerd Dragtsma
Mitch
Sonia Eijken
Lely
Melody Klaver
Moon

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Annemarie van de Mond
Writers: Henk Burger
Languages: Dutch
Countries: Netherlands

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

84 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 7 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Rob Peters. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Josha Stradowski and Majd Mardo and Jenny Arean carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "With benefits.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt7901640 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Annemarie van de Mond directs. Rob Peters scores. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Netherlands. Dialogue in Dutch.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

184 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 7 years ago.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Original score by Rob Peters. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Josha Stradowski and Majd Mardo and Jenny Arean carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "With benefits.".
7IMDB entry: tt7901640 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Original score: Rob Peters
Stunt coordinator: Chuck Borden
Runtime: 84 min · 1h 24m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: NL
IMDB: Just Friends (2019)

Also by

Annemarie van de Mond

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-03-28
★ 7/10
I really quite enjoyed this - it's a gentle romance in the truest sense of the word - and the two lead performances have much to commend them. "Yad" (Majd Marko - surely a long lost Jonas brother?) takes a job keeping an eye on an elderly lady "Ans" (Jenny Arean) who has a cute grandson "Joris" (Josha Stradowski). She is pretty complicit in getting the two to hookup, and after a brief courting period... What makes this fun is that there are no family issues around their open sexuality. Sure, "Yoris" and his rich, widowed mum have issues - but they have nothing to do with his sexuality and "Yad", is maybe a bit restless but again, no real psychological or emotion baggage to muddy the simplicity of the drama. There's a slightly contrived contretemps between the boys which though a bit unnecessary, it does serve to focus the second part of the film as the threads begin to reconcile. It's a young love story, it doesn't have - insofar as I could spot - any subliminal moral or political messages; indeed, in many ways it typifies the pretty laid back approach the Dutch take to just about everything. It's charming, and it made me smile - old cynic, that I am...!
kinrich302026-08-30
★ 10/10
This was a great movie. Unlike most gay movies that often deal with being in, or coming out, of the closet here both characters are already out and we just get to see a love story unfold. I enjoyed it a lot.