The idea of sex buddies, slam friends or, to give the term its classic name, casual sex is one that always seems to be on the minds of creative types, not to mention humans in general. It’s celebrated, condemned, deconstructed or explored. And it’s become downright ubiquitous recently, with two films and at least one TV show using the concept as its premise. Now the movies have released their trailers for the world to see (including you – look below…)
First up, we have Friends with Benefits, which finds Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis as two old friends who decide that the baggage that comes from relationships shouldn’t get in the way of some good, simple, easy bonking. And it works… for a while, at least.
Friends boasts the likes of Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, Richard Jenkins, Patricia Clarkson and Andy Samberg in supporting roles, and finds Easy A director Will Gluck back behind the camera.
Timberlake and Kunis look to have an easy chemistry, but be warned if you’re showing this to ankle biters: the trailer features nudity and naughty words.
If Benefits is in the red (band) corner, then No Strings Attached is in the blue , with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman as… two old friends who decide that… Look, just read what we wrote about the first film. It’s essentially the same plot. Their big plan to just keep things physical goes awry when love enters the equation.
Ivan Reitman is the director for the movie, which used to be called the much spicier Fkbuddies**. He’s battling the fact that his last couple of releases, Evolution and My Super Ex-Girlfriend, haven’t exactly pleased either critics or audiences.
Both movies will have to fight the clichés that come with these types of relationship comedies and it remains to be seen which will be the victor at the box office and, more importantly, whether either will stand the test of cinematic time, like When Harry Met Sally.
No Strings Attached gets an early jump out of the gate, arriving on February 11. We’ll have to wait until August 19 to see Friends with Benefits. But we ask you now: based on these trailers, which will you be seeing? Neither? Both? If you had to pick one, which would you go for?