Friends with Benefits (2011)

Watching Friends with Benefits is like watching a friend roast a buffet for an hour, then go back for thirds. The movie spends its first half mocking rom-com clichés, complete with a cheesy fake romance the leads laugh at on TV, then spends its last act checking every one of those clichés off a list. The self-awareness is a shield, not a punchline. Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake talk fast and sharp, like two people trying to win a debate nobody else signed up for, and they’re fun while the story coasts. Woody Harrelson walks off with every scene as a sports editor who says every thought aloud. Richard Jenkins, as Dylan’s dad, brings a quiet sadness the rest of the movie doesn’t quite know what to do with. Patricia Clarkson plays Jamie’s mom like she’s starring in a better movie next door. A 5.8 because the cast is sharp and the script turns into the thing it spent an hour laughing at. $1,817 says you start pointing out rom-com clichés in everything you watch, commercials included.

What works: Kunis and Timberlake have real comic timing together, and Woody Harrelson and Patricia Clarkson make every scene they’re in funnier.

What doesn’t: After an hour of mocking rom-com clichés, the ending runs through every single one of them with a straight face.

Who it’s for: Rom-com viewers who enjoy fast banter and don’t mind seeing the ending coming from a mile away.