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Friends With Benefits (2011)

Director: Will Gluck

Time Out rating

Average user rating

8 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Right at the start of ‘Friends with Benefits’, Mila Kunis denounces Hollywood movies for peddling clichés about true love. She’s just been dumped by a drip with a peanut allergy and lets rip at a poster for a Katherine Heigl romcom (‘Shut up Katherine Heigl, you stupid liar!’). The script is full of funny, bang-on references like this. And the chemistry between Kunis and her co-star Justin Timberlake is electric.

She is a headhunter who recruits his art director to a swanky job on a New York magazine. Both have sworn off relationships so make a pact: to have a no-strings-attached, sex-only arrangement (swearing an oath on a Bible app). It really is smarter than your average romcom – which is perhaps as much as you can hope for. But we’re never in any doubt as to the central ‘will they or won’t they?’ question. So while it’s probably grumpy to say it, for all its hyper-switched-on, nower-than-nowness it’s hard to see how it’s not just another Hollywood movie peddling true-love clichés.

Author: Cath Clarke

Time Out London Issue 2142: 8 - 14 Sept, 2011

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User reviews of this film

mr . P. NESSY. said...

Posted on Oct 04 2011 23:40 FRIENDS WITH V.D
Sphincter

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mr . P. NESSY. said...

Posted on Oct 04 2011 23:35 Dear readers i have commented on quite a few films recently, none of which get my nadgers tight.... just thought id say it. oh my god my bollocks have exploded. Monday ... get nipples set on fire. Tuesday get knackers caught in wrench ooooohhhhhh f it wheres tube galore???? p.s film = poo

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Les Molloy said...

Posted on Sep 19 2011 01:26 We kind of saw this film by accident. After wandering around a deserted WESTFIELD shopping centre, looking for the VUE Cinema with the intention of seeing TINKER, TAILOR..., we arrived too late to catch the beginning. Having got this far we had to see something so JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE it was. Still wincing over the thought of having to pay £7.50, on a Sunday night in SHEPHERDS BUSH, just to park my car we bought the tickets and coughed up another £22 on a box of popcorn and a couple of beers! I was amazed to discover the beers came in plastic bottles, which bugged me to start with, but at least we were able to take them into the cinema. What can I say about the film? I've always been impressed with TIMBERLAKE but I wouldn't say this is his best moment. Having said that it was good to see him rapping away and dancing as if he was once in a BOY BAND. For the most part FRIENDS... was almost unbelievable but did have its moments and for this I will award 4 out of 10.

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_Matt_77_ said...

Posted on Sep 13 2011 18:11 I enjoyed this movie, but (unlike the official reviewer) despite rather than because of the tacky, cringeworthily self-conscious references to the art of film-making. When I am watching a movie, I do not want the characters to be discussing the cliches that movies of that particular kind peddle - it breaks my suspension of disbelief, it reminds me that I'm in a cinema watching a movie and not in New York with Mila Kunis [which, by the way, would be very nice Mila if you're reading this], and essentially it's a cheap trick which degrades the film in my eyes. Despite that, this was an amusing, endearing and at times smouldering rom-com. There isn't enough laying of the ground regarding the lead female character's emotional issues and it wasn't anywhere near as funny as some of the more puerile of recent offerings (The Inbetweeners, the outstanding Hangover, Paul or even the relatively middling Hangover II) but being able to watch Mila Kunis on screen for the best part of two hours makes up for that. One thing I will say is that the clips shown in trailers for this movie give away some of its funniest moments, which is an irritating Hollywood habit which desperately needs to be stamped out. If you're planning on seeing this, see it before you see anything else at the cinema so you don't catch the trailer for it.

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scrumpyjack said...

Posted on Sep 12 2011 21:21 Sass, sassy and a bit more sassnesss on top.....then off to LA and we have a bit of decent back story with Richard what's his name's Alzimer act.....then an ending befitting ARTHUR! Oh, not a toe curler by any means but the T.O. reviewer hints there may be real love and life being portrayed on screen.
Get the hell out of here! A decent one to rent for a male/female "Ahhhh" fest, no more 5/10

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violetta said...

Posted on Sep 12 2011 20:00 A fast talking NYC recruiter places a successful West Coast web media guy into GQ magazine as art director. Attraction blossoms as she shows him the cute underbelly of the city - lust without love throws them into bed a lot for oddly voyeuristic pleasure on the audience's part. For the first half the hard music score blares you away then starts to serenade us to LA where we meet Dylan's forgetful dad and caring sister. You can just about guess the rest of the movie. Yeah, break up and make up is the game.

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ric said...

Posted on Sep 12 2011 10:24 REALLY impressed with this movie.not your average chick flick. Ian is right the chemistry between timberlake & Kunis is spot on & believable. Mila's character takes you in from start to finish-sharp,witty & sexy.For me the perfect girl,bar my girlfriend of course :-)

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Ian said...

Posted on Sep 11 2011 15:00 The review sounds like a 4 star film and in truth it is. Its probably the best rom com of the year. The chemistry is evident between the leads and in places the film is both funny and particularly in the relationships between the leads and their parents is touching and at times genuinely full of pathos.
Every film of this type "friends falling in love despite swearing only to be friends" has to be measured against When Harry Met Sally this film gets closer than most to the comedic heights of the Rob Reiner / Nora Ephron classic.
There are a number of gentle tips to rom com history including the poster to "It happened One Night".
All in all well worth a visit even for the most cynical of us.

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