Every romantic comedy Hollywood churns out has the same formula: One big male star, one big female star, a few nude scenes and a fairytale ending. While “Friends with Benefits” does just that, it does try to avoid the clichés. As the film’s name suggests, this isn’t your typical rom-com.
Having worked as an art director for a small Internet company in Los Angeles, Dylan Harper (Justin Timberlake) flies to New York City for a job interview with GQ magazine, where he meets Executive Recruiter, Jamie (Mila Kunis).
The two become friends and one night, while hanging out at Jamie’s apartment, the two agree that sex should not come with emotional attachments and agree to have sex with each other without the commitment. But when Jamie decides she wants to start dating again and the two stop, can they fight their sexual connection?
The on-screen partnership between Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis works really well and the excellent chemistry is evident throughout. They also provide most of the laughs with their wild and awkward sex scenes. Everything just seems to work with these two.
Despite containing a very predictable storyline, the “Friends with Benefits” plot has been well-written. There are no loose ends and everything appears to fit into place quite nicely, especially the sub-plot of Dylan’s father (Richard Jenkins) who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which brings an emotional angle to the film.
The only real annoyance with the film’s script is the constant references to the characters discussing clichés in movies, more specifically romantic comedies. Whereas it is a unique feature of the film, it makes the viewers lose the whole sense of escapism and reminds them they’re watching it in a cinema.
“Friends with Benefits” did what the similarly themed “No Strings Attached” failed to do earlier this year. It might be predictable, but it’s still an enjoyable watch, especially if you love a good romantic comedy.