Bananas in the Fridge

Friends with Benefits straddles (carefully considered choice of words) the line between generic rom-com and self-aware parody in a manner opposed to the attempted bedtime arrangement agreed between the two participants at the centre of the films story. Trying to avoid romantic cliches is difficult business in a relationship. Trying to avoid taking your clothes off is difficult business when the person opposite you is Mila Kunis, or big JT if yer female I suppose.

The story follows  Jamie, a girl with a good job, who manages to convince Dylan to  join the staff of GQ as some kind of visual editor. The decision to abandon his work as a blog designer (I think that's what he was doing. It looked like he was working for one of those horrible 90's style companies that had fake grass on the walls, no management structure and employees who were paid in tofu and soya milk. What kind of way is that to run a company anyway? No wonder you don't see that nowadays. In fact, I don't even know if they were real or if the movies invented them) is for some reason a particularly difficult one. Sold on the city of New York, without that Jay Z/Alicia Keys song which I am assuming would have been trotted out for city-montage number two had he initially decided to head back to California, Dylan agrees to take the high-paid job with the high-end perks and Jamie's enthusiasm for him lasts longer than you would expect. I mean, she could dump him and take off the minute he signs the contract. Job done. But they agree to stay friends and Jamie shows Dylan around town as he couldn't find a restaurant in New York without her. Whether her 'assistance' is based on the fact that her employee-bonus is paid on the condition he stays in the job or whether it is purely chemistry between the two characters is a decision you make for yourself. It is clear though that the two characters have a certain attraction which lends itself well to no-strings sex. This is what they decide to indulge in following a heart-to-heart about their previous relationships. Surprisingly, this agreement has some drawbacks but gives us the familiar rollercoaster of will-they/won't-they which guides us through the tribulations of family troubles etc. to the conclusion that you probably expect.

I'm not a big fan of fads. I never really have been. When I was young children had micro-machines; my kid brain always wondered why you would want a micro car when you could have a bigger one?  I had about three that I found between the playground, my brothers room and my first foray into petty theft. Anyway,  you can imagine my irritation at the flash-mob scenes. I honestly think that ending up in one of these would be the realisation of my worst nightmare. They have made me even more scared of public places, particularly train stations which seem to be a haven for these organised weirdo's. I can't imagine anything worse than unwittingly ending up in the middle of a group of middle-aged i-Pad owners ironically singing and dancing out of sync to a recording of whatever rubbish they sang on Glee the week previous. Proper hell.

The films standout performance comes from Woody Harrelson as gay sports reporter Tommy . He steals every scene in which he appears. Questioner of sexualities, provider of wisdom and excitable boat owner are but a few of his multi-faceted character traits. He is worth the price of admission alone.

Friends with Benefits isn't groundbreaking stuff but it is entertaining, funny, visually engrossing (for male and female alike) and lyrically smart in parts. Good date movie - although I would maybe avoid it if you are just trying to set up some no-strings action as the film makes it look like it doesn't really work and if we know anything it is that girls believe films. Plus Doback is in it.

http://www.fwb-movie.com/