Friends With Benefits

So yes, I was one of the few people who liked No Strings Attached. And yes, it's impossible to talk about one without mentioning the other. I just can't help it. I went in to this movie with low expectations because I liked the first one with Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher and didn't think this would surpass that. I proved myself wrong. I should've realized I would like this movie since I loved Will Gluck's other movie, Easy A. I hate to say it, but this version was better. The movie has earned more than $52 million so far, leaving it's $35 million budget in it's tracks.

The plot of the movie is pretty obvious from the title; it's about two friends with benefits. This time set in New York as opposed to NSA's Los Angeles. And also this time both of the friends are fed up with dating and relationships and are both open to this 'arrangement'.

Any movie that opens with with Emma Stone and Andy Samberg is just headed for awesomeness.

The characters were genuine and they took every jab at hollywood cliche's they could fit into the script. The sex was much more casual, as it should rightfully be. I loved the movie inside the movie with Jason Segel and Rashida Jones. The movie just had a lot more wit and satire than the former. Seeing as the whole premise of the movie is about going against the conventional it's only fitting that satire would be naturally included.

Ok, seriously someone raided my iPod when they put this soundtrack together; Rogue Wave, I am Arrows, and Death Cab for Cutie? There were some standard songs in there as well, but I loved the Easy A soundtrack as well - should've seen that one coming. I also liked the contrasting between NYC and LA that the movie does pretty well.

Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis have really nice chemistry and play well off each other. Patricia Clarkson as Kunis' mother was great - obviously Gluck knew this, using her twice. Emma Stone and Andy Samberg's cameos were great and Jason Segel and Rashida Jones' as well. Wood Harrelson an Richard Jenkins were also nicely cast into the movie.

Sorry to compare yet again, but this movie was just more about going against the cliche's (or making fun of yourself while falling victim to the cliche's) while the other movie was more about making those cliches real. Wow, that was a lot of 'cliches'. This movie had more jokes and wit in it than the other and the relationship felt more genuine. It's still a romantic comedy at heart but it makes fun of itself the entire time so I think it possibly could have stepped out of the realm of chick-flick-dom. Is it better than Easy A? No way. "What's up with the music in the movies? It tells you how to feel exactly at every moment".