“Friends With Benefits” Review

This was a movie I had been prolonged for so long to watch to – but I do not know why. And I was supposed to review this movie last year, but it delayed until now...

Dylan (Justin Timberlake) is an art director in Los Angeles and his girlfriend breaks up with him – at the same time in New York Jamie (Mila Kunis), gets to hear that she is emotionally damaged while her boyfriend breaks up with her. Jamie is a headhunter and gets talented Dylan to New York so she can persuade him to take the job as an AD for a major magazine and she gets Dylan to take the job. They both are disappointed in the field of love and they start to have a warm friendship with each other. So they end up having a deal that they would just have sex as friends with no emotions or relationships – just friends. But it turns out not to be so simple...

Even the plot isn’t that original, the movie cleverly manages to avoid the typical clichés common to romantic comedies and it’s actually funny with not being overly cheesy but stays being cute. Instead it’s honest comedy and because of it, it stands out from the usual romantic comedies which you know you have seen before once you’ve started watching them. The movie stays interesting with all the interesting characters. They are really likeable and funny, which isn’t the case in every romantic comedy you’ll see. Unfortunately, the chemistry between the two main characters don’t always show through the movie, but it shows enough... The movie goes very well for the friends of romantic comedies, for this doesn’t seem to be a comedy from the dullest end, but you pretty much have to like romantic comedies to get everything out of this. 

As side characters there’s Dylan’s dad (Richard Jenkins) who has Alzheimer's disease, his big sister (Jenna Elfman), Jamie’s wild and free mom (Patricia Clarkson) and Dylan’s gay co-worker (Woody Harrelson) who all brings their own spice to the story. Even though you can guess what the ending will be, the story is quite catching so you will not get bored – partially thanks to the interesting side characters. 

This was such a cheerful movie! It made me laugh and it made me smile. A perfect movie for a night when you need some romance and comedy in the same package... If you like romantic comedies, I recommend this movie to you!

Director: Will Gluck
Actors: Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman, Richard Jenkins and Woody Harrelson
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Release Date: 30 September 2011 (Finland)
Length: 109 min
Rated R

Trailer: