Movie Review: Justin Timberlake Overexposed in “Friends With Benefits”

Could there be too much Justin Timberlake?

That's what you'll see in his latest film “Friends With Benefits”– a whole lot of JT and his very fit physique.

For a guy who's not supposed to be working, he's getting around; back-to-back films, MySpace mogul, Comic-Con 'geekerati', military-ball date, and who knows, maybe he'll write his own cook book since he owns a restaurant.

Justin Timberlake stars in “Friends With Benefits” (didn't we just see him in a 'bad' movie recently?) alongside (over and under) Mila Kunis (“Black Swan”), in a super sex-charged rom-com.

“Friends With Benefits” is not based on an original plot at all; it is very predictable and almost a carbon copy of the Kutcher-Portman “No Strings Attached.” 

With that said, the most notable difference between these two films is the dialogue. 'Friends' is surprisingly witty, sharp and clever.  In fact, “Friends With Benefits” was actually better than expected — but only slightly.

Set in New York City, the film focuses on a corporate headhunter (Kunis) and an up-and-coming web-savvy editor (Timberlake) who after much persuasion from the sexy huntress accepts an offer to work at GQ Magazine. He moves from LA to NYC where an unintended fairytale courtship starts between the upwardly mobile twosome, and they quickly become “just” friends.

After a few short hours together that include Pier side drinks, rooftop city views and a spontaneous flash mob in Times Square, these (just barely) friends decide to dispense with all emotions and get straight to the business of sex in the city.

This is when all sorts of clichés break loose and the film never recovers from them.

Girl meets boy. Girl wants to be just friends, but really she wants the boy. Boy is emotionally unavalible. Girls gets mad and leaves. Boy realizes she's the best thing since sliced bread, and … you know the rest.

Timberlake and Kunis manage to get hot under their white collars most of the movie (a large part of the movie takes place in beds), but good thing they are both very easy on the eyes. If you want to see Justin Timberlake, you’ll get a few eye-full’s of him in this romantic comedy which offers a series of explicit sex scenes between him and Kunis you won’t soon forget.

There are also a couple of honorable mentions in 'Friends'. Jenna Elfman is back as Timberlake's sister, and Woody Haralson is his funny, un-aggressive self as the unlikely sports editor at GQ. Shawn White has a couple of very memorable cameos, too.

“Friends With Benefits” has some hip backgrounds and a few crowd-pleasing dance numbers in key tourist spots in the Big Apple which might satisfy the romantic in you, but you'll find something feels very familiar about this film.

So, if there isn't anything else at the movies but you really want to take your friend, on say, the fifth date, this film will fit the bill — it's not boring, and has plenty of eye candy.

Rated “R”