Movie Review: Friends With Benefits

“Friends With Benefits” is a romantic comedy that once you hear the title you already picture the pattern sequence in your head (“No Strings Attached,” “The Ugly Truth”). Although it involves two single people looking for a physical connection, the movie gives a fresh new set of characters and a new meaning of having a friend.

Jaime (Mila Kunis) is an executive recruiter who persuades Dylan (Justin Timberlake) to take a job at GQ magazine as an art director and move from Los Angeles to New York.  From there they become friends and soon enough friends with benefits.

“Friends With Benefits” is filled with not only big stars but also big laughs. Kunis, who starred in “That 70s Show” and “Black Swan,” brings Jaime alive with a colorful personality that connects with Timberlake’s character perfectly. Jaime is a strong, independent woman who wants Dylan more as a friend to talk to rather than someone for pleasure only. Jaime doesn’t become the person who is desperately in need of Dylan, but more of a person just learning about herself.

Timberlake came a long way from rising on the music charts — his last album “FutureSex/LoveSounds” sold 10 million copies. He is also currently starring in “Bad Teacher” with Cameron Diaz. Dylan is a comedic, straightforward friend that battles the thought of losing his best friend more than the person he may love.

The movie centers around Jaime and Dylan giving up on love. They were inspired to move to the “with benefits” stage of their friendship after watching a romantic comedy, they promised not to develop emotions for each other by swearing on a bible iPad app. 

There was nothing but laughs as the characters made demands throughout the time they spent together physically and treated this as an act of two friends just having fun.

Director Will Gluck, who also directed “Easy A,” wanted to make this movie stand out from the way the characters engage in each other’s lives beyond sex. â€œFriends With Benefits” has a bigger meaning than having sex with a friend, but of a way of understanding someone far beyond the bedroom. For one thing, both Jaime and Dylan have parent issues with Jaime dealing with a carefree mother while Dylan’s dad suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Jaime and Dylan helped each other in getting over a breakup but also being a person to depend on when times got rough.

Making $18.6 million in its opening week, the film brings a new romantic side to becoming friends with benefits. Kunis and Timberlake display perfect chemistry on screen and by gaining someone’s heart simply by starting a flash mob in the busiest city in the world.

This movie has strong language and adult situations, so watch it with someone you’re comfortable seeing this with. Watching it with your dad who suggests you start dating until you’re 30 wouldn’t be a wise suggestion.