I've been a film geek since childhood, and am yet to find a cure. But as empty experiences go, it's one of the best. A pair of friends, who happen to be of opposite sexes, are tired of the dating game and decide what they should do is have sex without all that awkward love and relationship stuff.
This works for a while but soon it becomes clear they want something more, but everyone else they see proves unsuitable. Eventually love will either bring them together or push them apart. There could conceivably be a conflict followed by a big romantic gesture. I can just about believe that in the case of Timberlake, but struggle to believe it in the case of Kunis. They have, at least, seen other romantic comedies. However the movie plays it too safe by suggesting an anti-rom-com attitude in its first half only to give in in its second half and conform to all those irritating conventions; I must have seen fifty movies where a girl runs off because she overhears the boy talking about her out of context.
Another curious convention of these movies is to use fairly well-respected actors to play small parts. I can only imagine they are well paid. In fact, if you do see the film, you can pretty much leave as soon as they arrive in LA. But you know what? If all you want is an airheaded romantic comedy, and I know some people out there do, you could do a lot worse. After the midpoint the plot contrivances wore me down as they always do and there were no surprises.
But I laughed a good few times in the first half, and that was a surprise. Friends With Benefits is in U. Adam Whyte Contributor.
