Years ago Pretty Woman delivered a rom com that took horse drawn carriages to the next level when the hooker got the millionaire. Oddly in this, Mila Kunis feels like this generation’s Julia Roberts – disarming, girl next door, somebody approachable to ask out on a date – and even better, a corporate girl. More ironic, this film is produced by Castlerock, the very company that brought us that memorable film back in the early 90s. Now a modern twist on the Hollywood
romance with lots of current cultural references, Dylan (Justin Timberlake) is a hot shot LA Blogger pursued and recruited by a headhunter in Manhattan to take a dream job as art director for GQ.
Her name is Jamie (Mila Kunis) and she’s ‘emotionally damaged’ but believable. Their banter begins with very
crafty dialog – and the character act like adults though they feel almost high school (drama.) Full of one liners, the plot soon settles into something more than an abrasive guy meets girl, guy and girl have sex and then bicker, film. Timberlake and Kunis have enormous sassy chemistry which is good since they have to battle the energy, anger and attitudes of Manhattan amidst their spooning, complications and guilt of being those friends with benefits. The cast of sub-characters are fabulous from Woody Harrelson as a gay GQ employee to Jenna Elfman (you know her from TV’s Darma & Greg) portraying Timberlake’s
sister. Patricia Clarkson gives a great odd ball performance as Kuni’s mother while Richard Jenkins gives a sensitive
performance as Timberlake’s father with Alzheimer’s.
In the end, you have a film that adds up to alot more than you’d ever expect. And of course, while you know how it has to end, don’t we all? There’s not really such a thing as one night stands. Three and a half tiaras