Film Review: Friends With Benefits (2011)

It’s a shame that No Strings Attached (2011) came out before the Friends With Benefits (2011) because the latter is superior in just about every way.  Natalie Portman greatly helped the former but could not save it from mediocrity, at best, and Ashton Kutcher is cringe-worthy but continues to land leading roles due to his box-office appeal.  On the other hand, Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake are very likable characters and display solid on-screen chemistry that draw the audience into their affair and root for the inevitable coupling.  Besides the lead pairs, the latter film’s supporting cast is outstanding, even down to some great cameo appearances, which makes the movie much more enjoyable.  Although both films have nothing really new for the rom-com genre and remain predictable, Friends With Benefits is far more charming, witty, and sincere than No Strings Attached; in fact, the character development and their backgrounds care to reach beyond caricature and the film delves into harrowing emotions for a time.  Do not expect a laugh-out-loud-the-entire-runtime R-rated comedy; it is generally funny but sporadically hilarious.  Similar to director Will Gluck’s Easy A (2010), praised by critics and audiences alike, this movie likes to poke fun at other romantic comedies but ultimately sort of becomes one itself.  Still, while it pretty much has a by-the-book overarching plot/arc, Friends With Benefits easily ranks up with the better romantic comedies of the year so far as it is very likeable with noteworthy performances and sharp writing to match its energetic pace.

Film Review: Bad Teacher (2011)

Upon first seeing the premise and red-band trailer (posted below), one would imagine either a sharp dramedy or a straightforward hysterical movie about the troubles and inadequacies of the educational system in this country.  Unfortunately, Bad Teacher (2011) is neither the biting satire nor the hilarious movie it could have been; it is simply a run-of-the-mill, disposable comedy that wastes the vast potential of an intriguing concept by going in many of the wrong directions and misfiring on several jokes.  Nonetheless, it is still an amusing R-rated comedy that has its moments and features fairly entertaining, albeit largely one-dimensional, performances.

Film Review: The Social Network

When I first saw the trailers for The Social Network, I had mixed feelings. A movie about Facebook directed by David Fincher? The preview seemed too much like a comedy to grasp the darker tones. Then, after early screenings and much critical acclaim, my curiosity grew. Garnering Oscar buzz for its thrilling plot, spot-on performances, and sharp, sardonic dialogue, the film became a must-see for me. In one word, The Social Network is riveting.