Friends with Benefits
By S. Jhoanna Robledo,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Lots of sexual content in formulaic but sweet romcom.
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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Friends with Benefits
Community Reviews
Based on 17 parent reviews
Great Movie! For Mature Audiences
Good
What's the Story?
Hard-driving executive recruiter Jamie (Mila Kunis) successfully persuades up-and-coming art director Dylan (Justin Timberlake) to take a job offer from GQ magazine and move to New York from California. Before long, they've become good friends, watching (and deriding) romantic comedies, exploring the city, and getting to know each other. They've each just extricated themselves from a hilariously dysfunctional relationship and aren't eager to jump into new ones. One problem: They miss sex. Hence the agreement to be each other's commitment-free "friend with benefits." The arrangement works like a charm ... until it doesn't. Can their friendship survive the complications that romantic feelings bring, or should they be friends no more?
Is It Any Good?
FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS may be formulaic, but surprisingly it's still pretty good. It tries hard to rise above the romcom cliches -- even going so far as to mock the fantasies that the worst movies of the genre spin -- though it inevitably follows the same trajectories, serving up a happily-ever-after ending that the audience spots from the moment the two leads meet.
Still, Friends with Benefits is surprisingly entertaining, thanks in part to Kunis -- who combines comedic chops with gorgeous-but-approachable looks and a winning personality -- and a parade of gifted supporting actors (Jenna Elfman, Woody Harrelson, and the always tip-top Patricia Clarkson and Richard Jenkins) who can do no wrong. Timberlake manages to stay above water; sometimes, he's even persuasively charming. Yet you have to wonder what this movie could have been had it not given into the expected outcome, coming up instead with an ending that would still be satisfying but bold and -- dare we say it -- more realistic. No such luck.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the idea of a "friends with benefits" relationship. What messages does that kind of arrangement convey about love and commitment? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values when it comes to dating and relationships.
The movie suggests that romantic comedies create unrealistic expectations in both men and (especially) women about relationships. Does this movie attempt to change these expectations or foster them?
Ultimately, what's the appeal of romantic comedies? Although they tend to follow the same predictable formula, they remain popular. Why do you think that is?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 22, 2011
- On DVD or streaming: December 2, 2011
- Cast: Emma Stone , Justin Timberlake , Mila Kunis
- Director: Will Gluck
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Screen Gems
- Genre: Comedy
- Run time: 104 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: sexual content and language
- Last updated: September 25, 2023
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