Rom-com "Friends With Benefits" isn't a BAD MOVIE. Mila Kunis is a headhunter who gets L.A. native Justin Timberlake to take a job at GQ as Art Director. They become friends, add in the benefits, fall in love, fall out of love, and fall in love again.
Justin is charming, Mila cute and feisty, the first hour has some witty dialogue if you have never seen a movie with witty dialogue. The second half is a hard slog of stupidity, Alzheimer is thrown in, a stutter is thrown, mommy and daddy issues, mix em all up and end at Grand Central Station.
While you're in it, it is pleasant enough. But it is ethereal dross. Having "Friends With Benefits" your fave song is the moral equivalent of having Semisonic's "Closing Time" you're favorite song.
It is Semisonic's "Closing Time" at the climax of the movie a "flash mob" brought together by Justin. Cute and a good song, which he wittily mistakes for 3 Doors Down throughout the movie. Another flash mob uses "New York New York". Criss Cross are made for a plot point,
Another funny music moment? Emma Stone saying John Mayer is the best thing since Sheryl Crow.
But the soundtrack ain't that hot. It's as if the producers have good taste and some money, but are doofusses and not as cool as they'd like you to believe… LIKE THE MOVIE.Foster The People are on the credits, as are Steppenwolf for some reason. Death Cab Cutie bring some poignancy "Soul Sister" is in the movie inside the movie. What else? Whoever came up with the soundtrack had one masterstroke. Grant-Lee Phillips 2006 cover of "Boys Don't Cry" which I didn't know and which is just plain gorgeous.
Movie: B
Music B