The film careers of the Friends cast have been chequered at best. While many of their films have flopped, Lisa Kudrow did OK with "Analyze This" and "The Opposite of Sex", while Courteney Cox scored with the "Scream" trilogy.

Now Jennifer Aniston may follow in the high heels of her female colleagues after taking the lead in this low-key comedy-drama from the writer and director behind indie hit "Chuck & Buck".

Despite being far too glamorous and assured for the part, she is nonetheless convincing as Justine Last, a 30-year-old cashier who's trapped in a loveless marriage in a boring Texan town.

Justine is beaten down by her soul-crushing job at local supermarket Retail Rodeo, and is unable to rouse her house-painter husband Phil (Reilly) from his marijuana-induced torpor.

Little wonder Justine seeks comfort in the arms of enigmatic young loner Holden (Gyllenhaal, last seen in "Donnie Darko").

But what begins as a harmless fling soon takes a sinister turn.

Holden develops an unhealthy obsession with Justine, and she starts receiving blackmail threats from Phil's pot-smoking pal Bubba (Nelson).

Like "Chuck & Buck" - in which a man is stalked by an old gay lover - Miguel Arteta's film treads a fine line between wry satire, black comedy, and vaguely unsettling melodrama.

As a result, it could prove quite a culture shock for Friends fans drawn in by the prospect of seeing Rachel Green do some work for a change.