Take two! This is the second time this year that Hollywood has delivered a film about friends who decide they can have sex without feelings being involved. Luckily, this time around the story actually works, the characters are believable and unlike Ashton Kutcher (Killers, Valentines Day) and Natalie Portman (Thor, Your Highness) in No Strings Attached, the two leads in Friends With Benefits actually do have chemistry between them. Believe or not this is one romantic comedy that actually does manage to have romance and comedy… and guys, this is one film that even you will enjoy.
Dylan (Justin Timberlake – Bad Teacher, Yogi Bear) is a successful Art Director who is very happy with his life in Los Angeles (where he was born and bred). However, when a headhunter named, Jamie (Mila Kunis – Black Swan, Date Night) offers him a job at a leading magazine in New York he feels inclined to take it. Not knowing anyone else in New York Dylan and Jamie become good friends, and after they find themselves to be unlucky in love they decide to enter into a ‘casual relationship’.
The biggest problem with Friends With Benefits is the fact that you can see the ending of the film coming a mile off, but the good news is director Will Gluck (Easy A, Fired Up!) makes the ride to get there a hell of an entertaining one. Gluck has hit gold here, not only does the comedy stand up and make you laugh but the characters are so well-developed (even the bit parts) that you can’t help but falling for them, and the story developed around them shows sensitivity (especially towards Dylan’s family) and you end up with a romantic comedy with feeling… now that is not something that you get everyday.
Once again the creators of Friends With Benefits show filmmakers everywhere why casting good actors in smaller roles works well. Woody Harrelson (Bunraku, 2012) virtually steals every scene he is in while Bryan Greenberg (The Good Guy, Bride Wars) keeps showing the world what every One Tree Hill fan has known for years and that is that he is ready to become a Hollywood heavyweight. Mila Kunis continues to impress while Justin Timberlake shows that Bad Teacher was just a blip in his career and is back to the good acting that he showed he was capable of in The Social Network.
This is a rom-com that has the lot. A great story, good cast and characters you care about. Friends With Benefits is one of the best rom-coms of the year.
Year: 2011
Director: Will Gluck
Stars: Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Bryan Greenberg, Woody Harrelson
Classification: MA15+
Runtime: 109 mins
Rating:
Available on DVD from 16th December, 2011