Dylan (Justin Timberlake) is an Cali Internet guru who has been tracked down by head hunter, Jamie (Mila Kunis) to vie for GQ's web publication editor-in-chief. After getting the job, Dylan makes the cross country trek to New York and the two begin a great friendship. Hormones meet dating frustration for both, prompting the two to embark on a sex only, no strings attached, relationship. Yes, of course, they know such an arrangement never works and certainly never ends well, but they put faith in horniness and camaraderie and proceed with reckless abandon. It runs its course. The two hit the dating scene again...again, to no avail and begin realizing that perhaps they might actually have something a little more meaningful than just sex. Of course, being a somewhat realistic romantic comedy, Dylan is completely freaked by the prospect of an actual, once-in-a-lifetime, connection with someone and pushes Jamie away. Yadayadayada the ole 'will they or won't they' sits in on the way to a uniquely rhythmic conclusion.
This was good: 4.0 Stars on my scale. It was one of those low expectation winners that just hits you. In 2008, it was Burn After Reading; whereas, in 2010, The Hangover emerged explosively from obscurity. This one may not be as precisely comically tuned as those two, but it's very funny stuff and in a different way the others.
I had never really been in the 'Justin as an actor' corner, but I think that is main because of the following: His past character's have just not been likable.Whether it was Frankie in Alpha Dog or Sean Parker in The Social Network, Justin has played a lot a jerks. He's played them well. This character, however, is fun, likable and Justin nailed it. Further, who knew that Mila Kunis could be believable as a chick whose slightly neurotic nature would leave her bf-less, but she nailed that as well. They were both great, but they had plenty of help, which really made the flick work. The supporting cast, many of which were mere cameos, padded the funny here tremendously. Brief, but hilarious appearances by Andy Samberg and Emma Stone, were only topped by riotous supporting roles from Woody Harrelson, Patricia Clarkson and Shaun White. Harrelson was the topper. He played GQ's sports editor, who make no boners about it was out of the closet and patrolling for schlong. There were even a few deep moments provided by Dylan's dad (Richard Jenkins) and sis (Jenna Elfson--good to see her again, by the way).
As mentioned previously, I begrudgingly agreed to shell out the dough to watch this one. I thought it would be a shadow of another 2011 'romantic hook-up' flick with less-seasoned headliners, No Strings Attached (with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman). Considering that I didn't even want to take an hour to write a yada on that one after watching it on Blu-Ray, I really wasn't pumped about seeing Friends with Benefits. This one delivered in every way that No Strings Attached failed. It delivers the funny where NSA did not. It delivers a more intricately meaningful plot where NSA did not. And, it delivers a better cast from top to bottom that NSA did not.
Friends with Benefits is two-hours of good stuff that you need to see and see BIG--that is, if you're over 18! The language and sex is over-the-top in this one, so leave the kids at home and don't take your Nanna with you!
True...OUT!
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