Friends with Benefits is a 2011 American romantic comedy film directed by Will Gluck. The movie stars Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis as the main characters. Other actors in the film include Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman, Bryan Greenberg, Nolan Gould, Richard Jenkins, and Woody Harrelson in smaller roles.
The story follows Dylan Harper, played by Timberlake, and Jamie Rellis, played by Kunis. They meet in New York City and think that adding romantic relationships to their friendship will not cause problems. However, as time passes, they begin to feel strong emotions for each other but refuse to admit it when they are together.
Casting for the film happened from April to July 2010. After choosing Timberlake and Kunis for the lead roles, the director, Will Gluck, changed the script and plot. Filming started in New York City on July 20, 2010, and ended in Los Angeles in September 2010. The film was released in North America on July 22, 2011, by Sony Pictures Releasing.
Critics gave the movie good reviews, especially praising the way Timberlake and Kunis acted together. The film was very successful in making money, earning $149.5 million worldwide. It cost $35 million to make. The movie was considered for two People's Choice Awards: Favorite Comedy Movie and Favorite Comedic Movie Actress (for Kunis). It was also entered into two Teen Choice Awards for Timberlake and Kunis.
Plot
Jamie Rellis, a professional recruiter in New York City, invites Dylan Francis Harper Jr., an art director from Los Angeles, to interview for a job at GQ magazine. At first, Dylan is unsure about the opportunity, but he agrees to take the position after spending time exploring the city with Jamie. Dylan moves to New York and signs a one-year contract, which earns Jamie a commission. Over time, they develop a close, non-romantic friendship.
One evening, after discussing the idea that romantic relationships should not require emotional connection, they have a casual sexual encounter. After several similar encounters, Jamie decides to begin dating again, and she and Dylan return to being only friends.
Jamie meets Parker, a doctor who treats children with cancer. After five dates, they begin a romantic relationship following her rule of starting one after five dates. However, Parker ends the relationship the next morning. When Jamie’s mother, Lorna, cancels their Fourth of July plans last minute, Dylan convinces Jamie to travel with him to Los Angeles. There, Jamie meets Dylan’s sister, Annie, his nephew, Sam, and his father, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Despite telling Dylan’s family they are only friends, Jamie and Dylan share a romantic encounter.
The next day, Jamie overhears Dylan tell Annie that she is too “damaged” for him to date. Feeling hurt, Jamie returns home and ignores Dylan’s attempts to contact her. Dylan finds her on the roof of a skyscraper—a place she had shown him during their first meeting—where she reveals she heard Dylan’s words and ends their friendship.
Later, Jamie learns that Dylan may leave GQ before his contract ends, which would affect her commission. She confronts him, leading to another argument. Jamie spends time with her mother, while Dylan visits his father at Newark Liberty International Airport.
During a moment of confusion caused by his Alzheimer’s, Dylan’s father mistakes a stranger for a woman from his past. After regaining clarity, he explains that he once met “the love of my life” before marrying Dylan’s mother but let her go. Dylan’s father encourages him to avoid making the same mistake and to reconcile with Jamie.
Realizing his true feelings for Jamie, Dylan calls Lorna to arrange a reason for Jamie to visit Grand Central Station. There, he surprises her with a flash mob dancing to “Jump” and “Closing Time.” After confessing his feelings and sharing a passionate kiss, Dylan suggests they go on their first real date. They cross the street to Pershing Square Café, where they are unable to stop showing affection for each other.
In a post-credits scene, Dylan and Jamie watch outtakes from the fictional romantic comedy shown throughout the film.
Cast
- Justin Timberlake as Dylan Harper
- Mila Kunis as Jamie Rellis
- Patricia Clarkson as Lorna, Jamie's mother
- Jenna Elfman as Annie, Dylan's sister
- Bryan Greenberg as Parker
- Nolan Gould as Sam, Annie's son and Dylan's nephew
- Richard Jenkins as Mr. Harper
- Woody Harrelson as Tommy Bollinger
- Emma Stone as Kayla
- Andy Samberg as Quincy
- Shaun White as himself
- Courtney Henggeler as Flight attendant
- Tiya Sircar as Hostess
- Jason Segel as Brice (uncredited)
- Rashida Jones as Madison (uncredited)
Credits adapted from AllMovie and The Guardian.
Production
In April 2010, Justin Timberlake became the first person to join the film project. Mila Kunis joined soon after, taking the role of the female lead opposite him. About two months later, Variety magazine reported that a group of actors, including Emma Stone, Patricia Clarkson, Richard Jenkins, Woody Harrelson, Andy Samberg, and Jenna Elfman, would also be part of the film. Three days after filming began, Bryan Greenberg completed the cast. The film includes short appearances by Shaun White, Jason Segel, and Rashida Jones. Production locations were set up as early as July 13, and main filming started on July 20, 2010, in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Filming continued in Central Park and other parts of New York City from July to early August before moving to Los Angeles, California.
Paramount Pictures stopped its original objection to the film after its director, Ivan Reitman, renamed the film No Strings Attached. Screen Gems then used the title Friends with Benefits for their project. At the same time, NBC was developing a sitcom with the same name, but the movie company said they did not expect problems because their schedules were different. Screen Gems moved quickly to avoid losing the title to the Paramount project. Director Will Gluck said he wished there was more distance between the two films, explaining that Friends with Benefits was not a remake of No Strings Attached. Both films were made at the same time, but Gluck and Mila Kunis said they were different stories.
The first theatrical trailer for Friends with Benefits was released on March 16, 2011. The trailer was later posted on YouTube and received over a million views in 48 hours, becoming the second most-watched video of the day and the most-viewed in the film category. Promotion for the film included videos on Facebook and Twitter. Timberlake and Kunis also appeared on the cover of Elle to support the movie.
Will Gluck said the story began with the idea of working with Kunis and Timberlake, and he rewrote the script for them. He wanted to create a more adult movie about relationships and sex. He compared the film’s storyline to the relationship between Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in older films.
Gluck said he wanted the movie Friends with Benefits to match its title, meaning it should not be too family-friendly. He explained that the film would connect with younger audiences, as the characters comment on romantic comedies and realize they are part of one. Timberlake and Kunis worked with Gluck on the script for over a month before filming started. Gluck would meet with the actors, using 20 pages of the script to discuss and change lines while defending each character’s perspective.
In June 2011, Madison Gate Records announced it would release an album with 15 songs for the film. The album was released on July 19, 2011.
Release
Friends with Benefits was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States on December 2, 2011, and in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2012. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a 69% approval rating from 170 reviews, with an average score of 6.20 out of 10. The site says, "The movie adds nothing new to its usual romantic comedy formula, but the chemistry between Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis is almost enough to make the movie enjoyable." On Metacritic, the film has an average score of 63 out of 100 from 37 critics, which means the reviews are generally positive. Audiences who saw the movie in theaters gave it a "B+" grade on a scale from A+ to F.
The film’s visuals, created by director of photography Michael Grady, and the conversations about sex and relationships are open and honest. It explores how changing ideas about relationships and traditional values can conflict. The movie shows explicit and energetic scenes of sex, and the characters, Jamie and Dylan, have a sweet connection that makes viewers want to support them. However, the film is criticized for not addressing deeper issues thoroughly. As Freud once said, even romantic comedies need to take their sex seriously, or there will be no satisfaction.
Manohla Dargis from The New York Times said the movie is funny and fast-paced, with good chemistry between the lead actors. Roger Ebert from The Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three stars, saying it has good dialogue and fast pacing. He noted that Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake perform well together. Peter Debruge from Variety said the plot is predictable but praised the cast, calling Kunis a natural comedian and Timberlake a star. Andrew O’Hehir from Salon said the film is a good summer movie despite its weak ending. Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian disliked the movie and gave it one star out of five.
Sukhdev Sandhu from The Daily Telegraph said Timberlake performed well with Kunis and gave the film three stars out of five. Betsey Sharkey from The Los Angeles Times praised the acting, saying it brought natural energy to the film. Michael Rechtshaffen from The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review, noting the chemistry between Timberlake and Kunis. Owen Gleiberman from Entertainment Weekly gave the film a "B−" grade, saying he enjoyed much of it but found it inconsistent.
Mila Kunis’s confident performance helps the movie, while Timberlake’s lively and witty style fits a smart urban romance. Mary Pols from Time said the movie is predictable but enjoyable because of its energetic dialogue and the chemistry between the leads. Ty Burr from The Boston Globe gave the film three stars, saying it works well and avoids clichés thanks to the actors. Peter Paras from E! gave the film a "B" grade, calling it the best romantic comedy in a long time. Melissa Leong from The National Post said the film jokes about Hollywood love stories but follows traditional formulas.
According to The New York Times, the movie is about love and sex in the age of social media and makes fun of romantic comedy clichés. Drew Pinsky, an addiction medicine specialist, said the film’s characters, who were raised by single parents, search for emotional growth because they lacked nurturing relationships. He added that the film’s message about love ending in "happily ever after" is not a good one.
Justin Timberlake said the movie is for people aged 25 to 30 who are unsure about commitment and their future. Friends with Benefits was released in North America on July 22, 2011, in 2,926 theaters. It made $6,801,594 on its first day and $18,622,150 in its opening weekend, finishing third at the box office. It earned $55.8 million in the United States and Canada.
The film was also successful internationally. In Australia, it opened on August 18, 2011, and earned $2.4 million in its first weekend, beating Green Lantern at the box office. It expanded to Europe in September 2011 and earned $10.6 million in its first weekend across more than 20 countries. The film topped the box office in France, where it earned $1.8 million on its opening day. It performed best in the United Kingdom and Germany, earning $3.1 million and $2.6 million in its first weekend, respectively. By mid-September, the film had earned over $29.6 million internationally. It went on to make over $149.5 million worldwide, with $93.7 million from international markets.