Far Better Than No Strings Attached

Rating: 8/10 (8 July 2011)

I came into the movie skeptical, not knowing what to expect. Before the screening I expected Friends With Benefits to be a carbon copy of No Strings Attached just with different actors/actresses. Having watched the movie however it is much more than that. While following the same basic idea, the story line, jokes, and acting made for a much better movie. The movie managed to feel less like a common chick flick and more like your traditional comedy, appealing to both men and women. The target audience is clearly the 20-somethings but its appeal extends far beyond that. Friends With Benefits manages to produce laugh after laugh without being overly raunchy which is impressive given the subject matter. The chemistry between Timberlake and Kunis also gave the romantic side of the movie credibility. All this being said the funniest part of the entire movie was seeing Woody Harrelson play an extremely outwardly gay man, a stark contrast to the majority of his acting roles. At the end of the day Friends With Benefits pulled off what few romantic comedies do, combined the right amount of laughter, romance, and plot to create a movie perfectly fit for your night out with your significant other.