Friends with Benefits

"Friends with Benefits" has a predictable and unoriginal rom-com storyline and a lame ending. Yet while Timberlake and Kunis are on screen sharing sharp and witty dialogue and projecting a charismatic presence which is found with great stars like Marilyn Monroe and Nastassja Kinski, there is hardly ever a dull moment. And the reason for this seems to be simple enough. In most rom-coms, the actors play pretty dim-witted, boring and superficial people and therefore there is no reason to take interest in anything they may say or do. In this rom-com, "Friends with Benefits," Timberlake and Kunis play fresh, independent and smart people and for this reason we are interested in the lives they lead and what they say to each other. So "Friends with Benefits" does not have much of a plot, but that does seem to matter because on this rare occasion we are happily distracted by the magnetism of two capable on screen actors who are playing two well-craft parts.