Friends With Benefits (2021): Wiki, Cast, Plot, Release Date, Songs, Review: Friends With Benefits was a fantastic success at the box office thanks to a combination of wonderful chemistry between its main characters and its hilarious storyline. A well-worn theme from romcoms is covered.
Can friendship ever survive when the friends succumb to the temptation to enjoy ‘benefits’ – in other words, allowing their relationship to become physical, too? We are entering a modern world where people might be used to the convenience of arranging hookups tonight by seeking out prospective partners via their smartphones or laptops, in-between using the Internet to buy stuff online.
These dating outlets are ideal for meeting new pals, with chat rooms where group discussions are always lively and topical. But who’s to say this convenient contact might not throw up obstacles when singles tread too close to that line where sex comes into the equation?! Let’s take a closer look at what made this American comedy such a hit with its audience.
Friends With Benefits Crew & Movie Details
| Release Date | July 18, 2021 (world premieres); July 22, 2021 (USA) |
| Directed by | Will Gluck |
| Story by | Keith Merryman and David A Newman |
| Produced By | Liz Glotzer, Will Gluck, Martin Schafer, Jerry Zucker, and Janet Zucker |
| Cinematography | Michael Grady |
| Edited by | Tia Nolan |
| Screenplay By | Will Gluck, Keith Merryman, and David A Newman |
| Running time | 109 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English (US) |
| Budget | $35 million |
| Box office | $149.5 million |
Friends With Benefits 2021 Plot
The prospect of sex getting in the way of friendship has already provided many memorable scenes in the movies. Who could forget the iconic moment in When Harry Met Sally, when Sally (Meg Ryan) gives close friend Harry (Billy Crystal) a graphic representation of how easy it is for females to dupe a guy when ‘benefits’ get added to the equation! In this contemporary take on the subject, Jamie has had her fair share of unsatisfactory love affairs and is secretly hoping to come across ‘the one’ soon to make up for so many previous disappointments. On Dylan’s part, he seems to himself as a bit of a ladies’ man – despite his friend Tommy’s baseless assumptions that he seems more likely to be into same-sex partnerships.
To summarise, Friends With Benefits is a thoroughly enjoyable romcom, giving a familiar story a welcome boost. What makes this feature especially worthwhile are the excellent lead performances, not only by Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis but also the ensemble cast playing their friends and family. If you like what you see, you should check out the latest titles. Read the reviews and decide what your next outing will be when you invite your significant other to share a tub of popcorn and get lost in action at your local multiplex. Friends With Benefits has everything you could possibly need in a romantic comedy. Perhaps it might make you see your friends in a different light!
Friends With Benefits Cast Real Names
Justin Timberlake
Timberlake plays Dylan Harper, a high-flying art director based in Los Angeles. When his path crosses with Jamie Rellis, a headhunter, he finds himself torn between accepting Jamie’s insistence that he would be the perfect fit for a fantastic new position in New York City and his increasingly potent feelings for the attractive woman tasked with showing him around the city.
Mila Kunis
Kunis plays an executive whose job is to find the brightest talent to fill positions. She first meets a charming oncologist named Parker. After going on five dates, they consummate their relationship. Jamie might be drawn to this handsome guy, but he goes cold on her the following morning. On the rebound, she agrees to accompany Dylan to the east coast to check out his potential new business setting with GQ magazine. Despite giving the strong impression to her mother and best friends that this is a professional relationship and strictly platonic, she finds herself drawn to his irresistible charms. When they spend an intimate night together, this sets a chain of events in motion, following the ‘will they, won’t they’ pattern so often seen where characters wrestle with staying true to their friendship or allowing the ‘benefits’ to provide short-term fireworks, with the potential to fizzle out.
Patricia Clarkson
Clarkson plays Jamie’s mother. Unlike her pragmatic daughter, who focused on her career and prepared to at least attempt to maintain her relationship’s platonic element, she is extremely irresponsible. In many ways, she acts more like the child in this mother and daughter dynamic.
Jenna Elfman
Played by Elfman, Jamie’s best bud is open and affable. She accepts Dylan at face value and even takes the opportunity to open up to him about her own issues. As the relationship between Jamies and Dyan goes through various permutations, she is sometimes used as a sounding board. Much of the time, Jamie ends up trying to convince herself that she is following the best course of action, especially when she feels as if her heart is starting to rule her head!
Bryan Greenberg
Greenberg is Parker, a potential love rival to Dylan. An oncologist specializing in children’s disease, not only has he cured many patients, but he was formerly a love interest of Jamie. When he bumps into Jamie and Dylan strolling through a park, feelings might be about to be rekindled.
Woody Harrelson
Played with relish by experienced Hollywood star Harrelson, Tommy is the sports editor at GQ. He’s funny and warm-hearted, and also openly gay and not afraid to let everyone know it! When he isn’t cracking jokes, he is known to frequently question Dylan’s sexuality in case he ever wishes to ‘swap teams.’
Friends With Benefits Songs, Soundtracks
The film soundtrack fizzes with excellent mood-enhancing songs. These range from the up-tempo ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ by American/Canadian early-70s rockers Steppenwolf to modern dance classics, such as the effortlessly catchy pop sing ‘Jump’ by Hip Hop duo Kris Kross. Another worthwhile example is the vintage funk track ‘Love’s Gonna Getcha’ by Tal & Acacia, which might also be a strong contender for the most literal translation of the film’s central plotline.
My name is Darinka Aleksic. I am employed at Shantel.co as a Corporate Planning Manager. Although this job requires a lot of time and effort, I manage to do other things as well. For many years now, I have been successfully working as a tennis coach, where working with children makes me feel young again. Besides all this, I love cooking and look forward to the opportunity to host my friends and prepare something nice for them.