By Mairead Clarkin.
In a recent post I mentioned that I have finally opened my mind, body and soul to watching Romantic films again. It started with Ghost and due to the post Ghost melancholic mood I was in, I suddenly I remembered an upbeat romantic comedy I thouroughly enjoyed and found soothing when I finally broke up with boyfriend numbero uno. See the below link from Tolle if you need free therapy on this.
‘Friends with Benefits’ 2011 stars the stunning Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake. I don’t have a thing for Justin. He is in my opinion less stunning than Kunis due to personal reasons. The overall movie rating on IMBD is 6.5/10. I am in a positive mood so I will give it an 8/10. This is purely on the basis that one is self aware enough to chose this film to watch as it will serve a specific purpose. To feel less alone that relationships in general can be messy and complicated. Not just romantic relationships. All relationships. There are the ones worth fighting for and the ones to let go for your own existence.
For context I reflected on my own state of affairs in 2011. I gained my teaching qualification. I began my probationary period. I had a deep sense of heavy weighted sadness. I was for the first time in eight years SINGLE. I spent six glorious weeks in LA with my best friend. I mooched from hotel pool to hotel pool. I read Revolutionary Road….I think? In 2011 Charlie Sheen was fired from 2.5 men. Fidel Castro resigned and Game of Thrones premiered. Lady Gaga’s Born this Way was in the charts along with Nicki Minaj’s Superbass…
In 2011 I went on a girls holiday with my cousin. It was the very beginning of an emotional unravelling.
This is something I struggle with as I tend to cling on to the past like one of those sticky muscle men you pop in to party goody bags. Those annoying little cheap figures that leave red footprints on the ceiling.
Here are two opposing reviews left on IMDB: Let’s start with the less favourable…..
1)
A movie without benefits (the shade!)
September 2011
Don’t waste your time on this one. A weak, predictable plot highly dependent on simulated sex scenes between the two main characters to maintain viewer interest. Of course, if you’re into that kind of thing, you’d probably think this was the movie of the year. If you’re looking for some depth or acting quality, you’ve come to the wrong film.
(I agree to a certain extent, however it is supposed to be light hearted and cheesy and in fact there is some depth and quality acting in my opinion. He should watched Titanic or Romeo and Juliet…)
Anyway, if you really want to explore the ‘can men and women be friends’ theme, watch the best in this genre, ‘When Harry Met Sally’. At least you won’t regret the time you spent watching it. (fair point but I still have time for Friends with Benefits. It’s dirtier.)
Here is a more positive review:
7/10
Cliché, predictable, but so honest and funny!
liso196622
November 2011
This movie was all things cliché and predictable. Even though you know what is coming, the honesty with life’s little quirks and human behavior was incredibly well done.
Timberlake is an okay actor. I found him to be a fresh breath in this movie. The dialogue and scenario fit his charm quite well.
I found Mila Kunis to be quite funny, and she pulled off that cute, charming, awkwardly damaged woman, perfectly. She was chic, yet easy to relate too. Down to earth, but an air of success and confidence, hidden in all the girly dreams and fairy-tales.
If you want something original and never done before, this is the wrong movie to watch. If you wish to appreciate a good spin on an old concept with stellar humor and humanity, it is worth the watch..
Overall I agree with the latter review.
A Light Predictable Film with Benefits. Escapisim for the Emotionally Damaged and or Unavailable.
I only cried twice watching this film. I did not laugh out loud however I did find it amusing.
Set in 2011 between LA and NYC, the movie opens with Dylan and Jamie running late for a date in different cities. Jamie and her BF are going to see ‘Pretty Woman.’ She thoughtfully prepares him an allergy free sandwich and then he brutally breaks up with her.
Dylan’s date is to see a John Mayor concert in LA with Emma Stone’s minor character. They both state to their friends who magically appear immediately post break up that they are going to be emotionally shut down like…….GEORGE CLOONEY. What a coincendence!
“What are we nerds trying to look at boobies?!” Justin Timberlake. 2011.
The intention behind the opening scene is to play around with the audience, perhaps to highlight the theme of relationship mind games, as we assume they are together from the start. Clever camera angles focusing on one converstation and one character enables this intention.
Both characters experience stomach churning unwelcome break ups from their other halves before the performance. “It’s not you it’s me. We need to talk” relateable even today. Jamie played by Kunis is labelled emotionally damaged and Dylan played by Timberlake is emotionally unavailable man. Anyone known an emotionally unavailable man?
Jamie works for GQ and Dylan is in charge of some sort of internet agency. Their cell phones depict 2011 perfectly. Both samsungs. With regards to online dating, retrospectively we see the exciting introduction of swiping left, right, up and down to find the one demonstrated in the film.
Fun fact; When I was in LA in 2009 John Mayor gave me the glad eye at an oriental restaurant across from the Roosevelte Hotel. My best friend can confirm this.
The sweet relationships in this film, despite the obvious, are the relateable dysfunctional parental relationships. Jamie and her mum have a friendly relationship rather than your stereotypical Mother and Daughter relationship. On the otherhand we are deeply moved by the bond between Dylan and his dad played by the legendary Richard Jenkins, whom most recently played Jeffrey Dahmer’s father in Dahmer: Monster- The Jeffrey Dahmer story. ylan’s dad suffers Dementia.
Jenna Elfman plays Dylan’s older sister who looks after their dad in Malibu. We see that Dylan has put work before his family, to escape reality and he is upset to see his Dad’s health declining. In a moving scene (the bit where I cried) his dad sits at the table without trousers on and Dylan does the exact same to make his dad feel less alone as all the judgy onlookers stare at them in disgust.
Now officially best mates Dylan takes Jamie to LA to visit his family. Dylan’s sister immediately notices the spark between the pair and questions him. He retaliates brutally. Jamie overhears him shit talking her and labels her as broken goods. Similar to the pros and cons list created by Ross Gellar in Friends regaring Rachel. #fatankles……
I felt personally attacked as I myself have been on both sides of this shady coin. Dylan doesn’t really think this, he just doesn’t want to show vulnerability to his sister as he is STRONG. (sarcasm) This made me cry as we have all overheard something unpleasant about ourselves and it can have detrimental effects on our emotionable stabilty even if we get the wrong end of the stick.
The audience is over joyed once the pair eventually let go of their stubborn natures and survive this hurdle.
Time apart gives Dylan space to see sense and realise that he is in love with his best friend. This is in fact an ideal, rare and precious relationship to cherish rather than toss aside. A bonus is their already established sexual connection. Another win. He listens to advice from his dad and plans an outlandish grand gesture in a bid to win Jamie back. He plans a flashmob performance in NYC for Jamie.
Happy endings. Finally Dylan shows commitment to Jamie and asks her to be his official girlfriend. With the help of Jamie’s mum and an organised Flash Mob dancing to Closing Time by Semisonic (their song) Dylan and Jamie get the opprtunity to explore their new official romantic relationship rather than a FWB one. This led me to consider; is a Friends With Benifits relationship possible? I took a buzzfeed quiz and was surprised by the result.
The closing credits again depict the swiping of left or right with regards to online dating. Tweaking and tweezing until you find what you are looking for. From this movie I believe that a romantic relationship can develop from a Friends With Benefits model.
Written by Mairead Clarkin.
https://www.collegetimes.com/uncategorized/quiz-fit-friends-benefits-relationship-113960
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