Film Review: Friends With Benefits

Friends With Benefits is the second film this year about fuck buddies. Following in the footsteps of No Strings Attached, there seems to be a shift in direction for rom-coms in this post-modern era where the done thing is to mock the traditional format's enshrined conventions. And yet everything it tries to do for reinventing the genre all inevitably comes full circle when you realise that, hang on a second, this is a rom-com.

Dylan (Timberlake) is a successful web designer based in LA recently dumped by his girlfriend on account of being too emotionally unavailable. Jamie (Kunis) is a corporate headhunter in New York, also recently dumped for being "damaged" and having a too idealistic view of love. Both vowing henceforth to act like George Clooney in a bid to not get hurt next time round, the two meet when Jamie sets Dylan up for an interview at GQ magazine. The disillusioned couple become friends and soon hitch upon a plan to service each other without any of those pesky emotions getting involved.

Friends With Benefits ultimately falls foul of the same serendipitously cliched trap Hollywood lays for all its rom-coms. It must follow the formula where one person expresses unreciprocated love, only for the other person to realise they've made a huge mistake whereby the third act they kiss and make up through some grand gesture at an iconic location. There's only one manner in which a film of this nature will be allowed to end, and that's where everything is resolved in a way that will never happen to you. That's not to say that Friends With Benefits isn't fun, but for all it does to profess its difference it eventually succumbs to the same cliches and consequently feels a little hypocritical. Indeed, it goes great lengths to scorning rom-com norms, even inserting a little mock film featuring Jason Segel which rips on every shibboleth used in the genre. Of course this movie wouldn't really work if Dylan and Jamie did their business and went their separate ways at the end, no harm done. Those irksome things called emotions have to get in the way and send their initial agreement down shit creek without a paddle. Consequently it means the characters become slaves to the stereotypes they seek to smash whereby the end was never really in doubt.

But! And yes there is a but! Friends With Benefits has a spark which is much to do with its fantastic cast and script. Timberlake for one seems to be carving out quite a name for himself as an actor, turning out decent performances in The Social Network and Bad Teacher. He's equally adept at Dylan, a slightly effeminate meterosexual with intimacy issues. Kunis also glimmers as an insecure old romantic looking for the same true love shown in the very films she mocks. The banter between the two is sharp. You know when you look back on a moment and you think "fuck, that's what I should have said"? Well, these two cats will say the right thing at the right time without fail. Indeed, Timberlake and Kunis' chemistry add a vitality to proceedings which sets this film apart from the other mush in the genre. You just enjoy watching them, and that's almost enough. The supporting cast are also fantastic. Woody Harrelson is superb as Tommy, a vivaciously gay colleague who offers Dylan the chance to join him and "troll for cock". Likewise, Patricia Clarkson steals more than a scene as Jamie's alcoholic, free-loving Mum while Jenna Elfman is perfect as Dylan's world-weary sister. However, the quietly understated role of Dylan's Alzheimers afflicted father, played by Richard Jenkins, is pure gold. In his lucid moments Mr. Harper grounds proceedings by offering his pearls of wisdom. In his not-so-lucid moments he's running about with his trousers round his ankles.

While Friends With Benefits doesn't add anything new to the genre but it still manages to make this overused formula entertaining. The cast is excellent as is the onscreen chemistry. It's cute and enjoyable (if these things don't already sicken you) and a hell of a lot better than this year's earlier attempt, No Strings Attached. Timberlake and Kunis bring a glib, relaxed aura, never taking themselves too seriously which only makes them more likeable. They just do it better than Kutcher and Portman. If No Strings Attached were the missionary position, Friends With Benefits is the Kama Sutra.

Film Review: Bad Teacher

We've all had them, terrible teachers who scarcely inspire their class to learn. Bad Teacher takes this concept and turns it on its head. Rather than having a teacher who is merely incompetent, Diaz's Bad Teacher just plain doesn't give a fuck. It's actually a wonder what you have to do in the US to become an 'educator'...

Dumped by her rich fiance, lazy, vain, gold-digging teacher Elizabeth Halsey (Diaz) is forced to shelve plans for early retirement and return to the school she thought she quit for good. Upon her return, wealthy, but naive new teacher Scott Delacorte (Timberlake) reignites Elizabeth's hopes of finding a sugar daddy. However, Scott spurns Elizabeth's advances in favour for the school's model teacher, Amy Squirrel (Punch). The inevitable clash of good against bad ensues.

Bad Teacher is hardly the most imaginative comedy given the material, but its reprehensible humour and tongue-in-cheek misogynism remain an enjoyable affair. Diaz's Elizabeth will stop at nothing to ensnare Scott, deciding the best way to do so is with a boob job. Elizabeth's caustic brand of guiltless hedonism burns through the sickly pleasantries of the staff room as she goes about raising money for the operation via any means necessary. Elizabeth is not above embezzling funds from a school carwash and stealing exam papers in a bid to get the best results in the state and thus a cash prize. Lust plays second fiddle to her avarice as what makes this all the more enjoyable and refreshing is that the script hasn't bothered to endow Diaz's character with any redeeming features. Indeed, Diaz's portrayal of a mischievous, materialistic and wholly nihilistic bitch actually becomes endearing. Where our opening introduction to Elizabeth generates an immediate dislike for the character, she slowly evolves and twists as the audience begins to warm to her.

This is in contrast to Timberlake and Punch's sickly duo, who start out as a bit drippy, a bit dorky, but ultimately inoffensive. However, they soon get incredibly annoying, despite having done nothing inherently wrong. Timberlake's Scott is a hipster prat with no opinion of his own, doing his best to mould into whatever shape the social setting requires of him. By the end of the film he comes across as an insufferable prick. Likewise, Punch transforms into a conniving bitch, and while it is clear to see that it is Elizabeth's actions which have driven her to madness, you can't help but enjoy watching Diaz burn her time and again. Punch is however the most colourful foil to Diaz, partly because she's the most driven and obsessive when compared to the other characters. Segel's Russell Gettis, while resigned mostly to the background, is also excellent as a down-to-earth gym teacher who observes the idiots that inhabit the world with quiet amusement. While he understands Elizabeth's game, he still wants to date her anyway. It's actually a bit of a shame at how underused Segel is and you just wish his pleasantly laid-back character was on screen more.

Perhaps Bad Teacher's biggest problem is that it doesn't really know where it wants to go. Diaz's character is "too bad" to be allowed to claim total victory in her selfish quest, and yet she doesn't exactly get dealt the justice for her abhorrent behaviour either. Instead, Elizabeth is left somewhere in limbo. While there are small signs that she might be willing to reconsider her values, ultimately the overbearing impression is that the unrepentant anti-hero got away without comeuppance. Likewise, as a character Elizabeth isn't all that fleshed out. For example, there is no explanation as to how or why this selfish little money grabber got into teaching anyway. Indeed, it is a strange career path for a person with such motivations. Also, minus Punch, there is a criticism to be made that the rest of the supporting cast at times appear a little inconsequential. They have tendencies to appear, do what is required of them, then evaporate into a whispy mist until needed again.

Despite the negatives, Bad Teacher certainly doesn't deserve an F. Diaz herself is the best thing about the film and she alone deserves at least a B. Ultimately this is rude, crude, but thoroughly good fun throughout.

Film Review: The Social Network

Whatever you might think about Facebook, there is no denying its genius and enormous impact on the world. It forever revolutionised a generation and how we conduct social interactions with our fellow man. Such is its success that it has made creator Mark Zuckerberg the world's youngest billionaire, commanding an empire purported to be worth in excess of $30billion. But how did this much maligned figure manage to achieve such gargantuan heights in a market already saturated with social networking sites such as Friendster and MySpace? Well, if you've ever wondered the answer to this question, then they've only gone and made a film about it.

In a sort of biographic effort of sorts, The Social Network tracks Mark Zuckerberg's (Eisenberg) beginnings as a student at Harvard University. Dumped by his girlfriend for being a conceited twit, Zuckerberg embarks on a drunken quest for revenge by publishing a malevolent blog and hacking into all the local college computers in order to build a website comparing women to humiliate her. The site proves so popular that it dawns on Zuckerberg to create a social networking site called 'The Facebook', becoming an overnight success. As the site's popularity grows, Zuckerberg becomes alienated from his best friend and business partner, Eduardo Saverin (Garfield), seduced by the promises of Napster founder Sean Parker (Timberlake), whilst infuriating the 6'5, 220lb Winklevoss twins who claim he has stolen their idea.

To start with this is a peculiar story to put to film. It is incredibly talky, nerdy and you won't find any high-octane car chases with explosions either. Even as a tale of yesterday's news and its understated appearance, The Social Network is actually an interesting paradox, charting the creation of an internet tool which brought millions together whilst simultaneously driving a close group of friends apart. While the portrayal of Zuckerberg may or may not be unfair, Eisenberg nonetheless does a superb job of capturing the mind of a conflicted genius with a wholly unpredictable set of motivations. Indeed, he sets up 'The Facebook' partly out of spite, partly out of competition and partly to climb the social ladder rather than anything as forward-thinking as accumulating material wealth.

Whether Zuckerberg is anything like he is represented is neither here nor there. While on the one hand distinguished as a villain, the other characters around him also appear equally limited. As Saverin becomes increasingly ostracised and delves into petty reactions, the Winklevoss twins Zuckerberg leads on a wild goose chase stake claim to 'The Facebook' on the grounds of intellectual property theft. Into all of this steps Machiavellian Napster founder, Sean Parker, who appeals to all of Zuckerberg's most reckless instincts and is played with relish by Justin Timberlake.

The Social Network is an engaging and understated character drama. While there isn't immediately an enormous amount going on in, it maintains a certain charm bubbling underneath the surface. Indeed there are many complex themes occurring and while the subject matter could at first glance appear surprising, this film does well to capture a picture of our times. It raises interesting questions about the man who created a global phenomenon; is he an arch-manipulator and a cheat? Also painting a fascinating portrait of the petty politics surrounding one of the most high-profile court cases in recent years.