If you’re thinking about seeing this movie then you already know what the title means. The question that the film’s trailer asks is “can two people have sex without a relationship?” The film, just as well as we do, know the answer to that question and therein lays the basic flaw with this overall idea.
With that said however, it was a really enjoyable ride. I remember about three years ago, when I was still a freshman at this critic gig, when I was happy to watch any romantic comedy. This isn’t because my balls were missing, but rather because I found them to be the nice light fluffy marshmallow center of a film genre that they are. The jokes were not that offensive and you get to see one of the most smile inducing emotion being fulfilled on screen (i.e. love). Fast forward to today and I pretty much loath the genre. It’s filled with the same plot line and character gags what’ve become so trite that I need to find a whole new word to express how well travelled the ride that is the romantic comedy is. However, what has always, in every kind of movie, been able to usurp this problem of familiarity are great characters; and that’s what Friends With Benefits has.
Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis) just met at the beginning of the film, after being dumped by their respective significant others, and pretty much became instant friends. They know how to just keep their conversations all pithy and introspective at the same time. One moment they could be talking about how simple the internet is and the next one is making fun of the fact that the other’s hair did something funny and what makes it work is that we get the joke and are laughing with these two rather than at them, or even worse just watching them laugh. The film’s strength is that as the film progresses, and so do our main characters, we care and enjoy spending this time with them. Yes the dreaded third act where they eventually realise what’s really going on had to happen, but I forgive it since I had so much fun getting there.
If Dylan and Jamie aren’t enough for you, then how about Mr. Harper (Richard Jenkins), Dylan’s father who’s a little crazy but emotionally drawing in every scene, Lorna (Patricia Clarkson), Jamie’s mother who’s a bit of a free spirit and while being a bad thing for her daughter is a pretty nice comedic addition, and Tommy (Woody Harrelson), the sports editor for GQ who happens to be very gay and loves to be that guy with all the right jokes about gays that aren’t offensive but downright hilarious regardless. The movie has more than enough great characters, and fun moments with them all, to keep it fresh and entertaining from start to about the last fifteen minutes.
I’d like for Will Gluck to duck and hide, because as promising as he is right now I think it’s best for him to hide from the world. He’s single-handedly shown Ivan Reitman how to do his job and that’s sad that on a junior effort is outshining an industry icon.