Friends With Benefits

Benefits Create Emotional Side Effects
Friends With Benefits, R, ***, Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman, Woody Harelson, Peter Jenkins. Screen Gems film. Director Will Gluck. Length 109 minutes.

As the movie opens, Jamie (Mila Kunis) and Dylan (Justin Timberlake) are having issues with their significant other. It is breakup time again along their journey through the maze of dating. Jamie is a Headhunter in New York and Dylan is an image designer for a website in Los Angeles.
Now, we all know that New York is a fast talking in a hurry kind of town. L.A. is laid back and easy going - analytical. At least that is how they are portrayed in this movie.
They are both successful at their respective jobs. Jamie researches her clients and tries to find the right person for the job. She knows that Dylan will be great at the job of art director for GQ magazine. She sets up an interview with the magazine company and Dylan flies to New York. They meet at the airport for the first time. It goes without saying that being in New York as compared to L.A. is shall we say poles apart. How will this work out? The reader will have to see the movie to obtain that information.
Charisma is almost instantaneous between the two. Dylan is fascinated by her free spirit and spontaneous attitude. However, he does not care for New York. Jamie personally introduces him the city of New York. Dylan is offered the job, and he decides to take it.
Jamie and Dylan have issues that will be revealed as the movie progresses. These two decide to enjoy the carnal part of a relationship without becoming involved emotionally. Their conversations are fast, funny, and flippant.
The movie is extremely straight forward in its earthly dialogue, and it has several risqué scenes. It basically does not leave out much when it comes to intimacy. As their relationship continues, anyone can guess that complications are going to arise. As the lyrics reveal from the song Heartache Tonight by the Eagles, “Somebody is gonna hurt someone before the night is through – There’s gonna be a heartache tonight.”
When we deal with human emotions and feelings, things can get unpleasant. The heart is a sensitive organ.
Another dramatic moment in the movie that touches the heart and emotions happens when the couple travels to Los Angeles to visit Dylan’s parents. Dylan has been secretive about his mother and father. This is part of his baggage concerning commitment.
The scenes in Los Angeles are a very emotional. It is sad portion of the movie. Richard Jenkins plays Dylan’s father with sadness and insight. However, it is a learning experience for Dylan and the audience.
One lighter note happens when the wild and crazy Jamie decides to entice Dylan to climb a fence and then ascend the “Hollywood Sign” perched in the Hollywood Hills. A great deal of Dylan’s past is revealed because of his fear.
The audience can learn some valuable lessons from Dylan’s past. Here is a little hint on one of the lessons. Education comes in various formats. Everyone is not great in certain academic disciplines, but they can find their talent in other areas. Artistic individuals may not have ability in certain disciplines while they have enormous talent in creativity or other subjects such as vocational etc.
It is an enjoyable movie with an interesting story of how our past affects our future. If the reader decides to see this movie, just remember it has a mature theme, strong language, and fire hot dialogue. In fact some of the conversation exchanges between Jamie and Dylan discharges like a machine gun.