Friends with Benefits (www.the-usher.com)

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end"

When Jamie (Kunis) headhunts Dylan (Timberlake) for a job in New York, the two quickly becomes firm friends. With neither of them having any luck with relationships and as they both miss that little extra thing that comes with been a couple, Jamie and Dylan decide to cut out of the complications of the dating scenes. Having that extra benefit in their friendship might seem great at first but can they still be as good friends when they start to spend more and more time together?

The jury is out as to whether Justin Timberlake can turn pop superstardom into movie superstardom but with ‘Friends with Benefits’ he takes a step closer to that goal.

After making a real splash with ‘Easy A’, director Will Chuck became someone to take notice of. When he announced that his next film would be a romantic, sexy comedy with Justin Timberlake his new found fans must have groaned but there sighs are unwarranted. Even though Justin’s other 2011 foray into comedy ‘Bad Teacher’ was a bit of a dud and his Sci-Fi thriller ‘In Time’ was unintentionally funny, Will Chuck gets him back on track, showing the promise again that he showed in ‘The Social Network’.

The story is simple. Timberlake plays Dylan, a big, hot new player in the New Media revolution who is headhunted by GQ in New York. Accepting the job he has to leave his family in Los Angeles and move to the Big Apple but while the job is great, he does not have any friends there so he calls the only person he knows, the girl who headhunted him, Jamie, played by the talented and beautiful Mila Kunis. Spending a lot of time together as friends but with neither of them having any luck with love, one night Dylan poses a question “What if they have sex?” Becoming friends with benefits and with stress free, uncomplicated sex on tap for both of them, the new question becomes “Do either of them want more?” This question, of course, leads us down a well worn path but the execution via a sharp and very funny script by Will Chuck, makes this film stand out from the rest of the sexy Rom-Coms.

The key to the success of the film is the chemistry between Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. Whilst is might be a little hard to believe that either of these gorgeous people would ever be unlucky in love, the two make Dylan and Jamie a couple that you want to go that much further. The supporting cast is also good. Patricia Clarkson is always a welcome addition to any cast and she returns to work with Will Chuck. Jenna Elfman is great as Dylan slightly kooky sister Annie and Richard Jenkins always brings a little extra to any cast. It is Woody Harrelson who steals the show however. As Dylan’s gay friend Tommy is has all the best lines, providing all of the big laughs.

‘Friends with Benefits’ is a sexy romantic comedy that has something is little extra. With a good and a great chemistry between the two stars, this is one of those rare films that will appeal to the hopeless romantics and those just looking for some good entertain. Also be prepared to be humming ‘Closing Time’ by Semisonic for weeks afterwards.

Commentary with Director Will Gluck, Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis
Outtakes
Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary
Blu-ray Only: Bonus Benefits: A Pop-Up Trivia Track
Blu-ray Only: 3 Featurettes
“On Set with FWB”
“In A Flash: Choreographing a Mob”
“Comedy Of A Sexomedy”

The Usher Home | Hush, Hush... | The Big Story | The Usher Speaks

Stuck @ Home | Coming Soon | Links | Contact the Usher

2011