Courtesy - The Sunday Leader By Sumaya Samarasinghe
Two films in one year with the exact same theme: Is it possible to have sex without falling in love? In “No Strings Attached” starring Nathalie Portman and the dim looking Ashton Kutcher, two ill suited adults jumped around in broom closets and went on one disastrous date where for the first time some, talking took place, and that of course led to a temporary break up!
Friends with Benefits is the second film this year to ask whether it is indeed possible to have sex with someone you are deeply fond of without falling in love. Answering this question in a purely practical way, of course it is, but in the rom com formula, the answer is ‘no’ because no one wants to see Ashton and Nathalie part nor do we want to watch the very cute ‘friends with benefits’ Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake break up at the end of the movie. Plus box office wise, it is pretty obvious that a more realistic and sad ending would not help pile up the dollars.
So perhaps the existential question to ask is if love today is really necessary to go along with day to day life. In Hollywood yes because happy endings are essential to take away the bleak and boredom of routine. And let’s face it, even if they don’t admit it, the worst cynics,do enjoy a nice little happy ending from time to time.
In Friends with Benefits, Mila Kunis’ character Jamie and Justin Timberlake’s Dylan are dumped by their respective partners ten minutes into what are possibly two of the funniest moments of the film. Hats off to Emma Stone who comes as Timberlake’s slightly highly strung and hysterical ex girlfriend.
Kunis does not play the heartbroken, wilting flower who breaks to bits after her useless boyfriends ditches her.Actually some viewers especially males, may even find her a little irritating because of her lack of self pity and tears. Jamie is a corporate headhunter in New York and Dylan is a website creator/art director living in California. Jamie convinces Dylan to fly to New York for an interview with GQ magazine. Though the interview goes well, Dylan seems hesitant to take the leap, so during one night Jamie shows him New York and the magic of a city that never sleeps.
Convinced that this is an opportunity of a lifetime, Dylan accepts the job and since he does not know anyone in New York other than Jamie, the two grow close. Lunches lead to dinners, wild parties and more sharing about their private issues. Because better be ready for this, there is a lot of talking in the movie about varied subjects, so naturally one night the topic of sex, emotions and friendship comes up while our two emotionally damaged heroes are watching a cheesy romantic comedy!
The two decide to start a sexual relationship which will involve no emotional commitment. What was supposed to be a ‘one off’ becomes a regular occurrence until Jamie tells Dylan that they should start dating other people again and she begins to see Parker, a young and successful doctor.
However, after all fails with the doctor and her hippy chaotic mother bails out on her for the ‘mother-daughter’week end they were supposed to spend together, Dylan convinces Jamie to come with him for the 4th of July week end and stay with his family in California. And of course their relationship takes a new dimension.One of the strong points of Friends With Benefits is the excellent supporting cast. From Patricia Clarkson as Jamie’s crazy mother, to Woody Harrelson as Dylan’s gay co-worker and of course the great Richard Jenkins as Dylan’s father who is suffering from the early onset of Alzheimers; all of them have well written roles which give the viewers a very clear idea of their personalities.Jenkins at times makes sense and is the brilliant father Dylan hero worships. A few minutes later, he is taking off his pants in public and eating dinner in boxer shorts. He has only a few minutes on screen but any bet that it is his scenes that the viewers will always remember.
Friends with benefits is definitely worth the watch without any person around you who is attempting to halt the dvd to get cricket scores or lets out loud sighs of boredom. And who knows it may even give you some useful insight about life, love and friendship.
