I'm not much of a fan of the romantic comedy. I've got problems with the formula. They're just not real enough for me. I don't like the gender stereotyping. Also, often they're not funny. And mostly they make me feel sick. However, the odd one slips through the net and I actually think it's bearable. Going the Distance, for example, that Justin Long/Drew Barrymore long-distance love-affair romp which came out last year, now that I went as far as to buy on DVD.
So I don't much like a rom-com. But I do love Justin Timberlake. Hard. Unshamed got the limited edition cardboard sleeve Justified, saw him on tour four times in a year, have SNL's "Dick in a Box" saved to my YouTube favourites kinda love. Yes, that hard. And that Mila Kunis, well she's just as cute as a button. So there I was, a lonely friday afternoon in my new city and what better to do than a little trip to the cinema to see Friends With Benefits? The only thing I regret is not buying popcorn.
Don't go to see Friends With Benefits if you're looking for a plot twist. Or if you don't like a bit of cheese. It is a 100% classic, predictable, 3 Star plot line. You know from the start what is going to happen, but that's ok really, isn't it? The characters, however, and the script are better than average. Except for what I consider to be a little dip about a half hour in when things went a bit cringe, the dialogue was witty and the plot fast-moving. The character's of Jamie (Kunis) and Dylan (Timberlake) were well rounded, developed, likeable and believable. I thought Jamie was pretty awesome actually. Aside from the boring "vulnerable female" cliche, which seems to be a given in every film of this genre, and actually seemed to go against the other elements of her character, she's actually a feisty and powerful woman. The sub plots are pretty strong and the addition of Jamie's mum and Dylan's dad and sister made for interesting and touching viewing.
There's something a bit weird about it though. It tries very hard to be "hip". It opens with some fancy touch screen thing in an office, there are constant references to iPads, apps, Dylan also works for GQ which is used as an excuse to make reference to various pop-culture phenomenons. It also spends a lot of time referencing bad romantic comedies, at one point Kunis even shouts something along the lines of "Screw you, Katherine Heigl" - which though made me laugh, makes it clear how desperate Friends With Benefits is to set itself apart from its genre. All of that gave me the vibe that maybe it was trying a bit hard.
So no, I don't consider it film-making genius. However, it does the shiny, commerical rom-com thing pretty well. It followed the usual "fun-angsty-happy" timeline of a rom-com well and with the added extras of the almost complete avoidance of cheesy lines and a few pretty funny jokes. There were a few laugh out loud moments for me. It was well acted by both leading actors. The chemistry between Kunis and Timberlake is really something special. I'd go and see it for that alone. Hot.
So really, in my view, this is a rom-com done well. But then anything where Justin Timberlake raps along to Kriss Kross was always going to get my vote. Worth the money.
