Friends (with Benefits) (2009) User Reviews

Oh Come On, Money For This.

[hjames-97822 · 3/10 · 10 September 2015]

They all showed up and the photography itself is good. After that, they lost me.

How many more time will we have to see this same boring scenario of friends hooking up and then getting emotionally wrecked? It's just been done like this too many times.

The acting is very wooden in spots. The lighting often looks like film school students were on the crew. I watched this because I am Brendan Bradley fan. But even my main man's good efforts could not save this. (I did appreciate the one of him nude. Check out his performance in "Redwoods.." Outstanding.) This thing is nothing special.

Decent film about a group of friends struggling with the decision to become "more"

[Higgs1 · 7/10 · 11 April 2010]

Just watched this film in a really cool little "hole in the wall" theater and it was an enjoyable time. The movie revolves around a tight group of 6 friends struggling trying to balance school studies, work, personal lives, and sex lives. It's a story I'm sure a lot of people can relate too, not enough time to build relationships with strangers and wanting something more out of friendships without making them awkward and undesirable. This film does a nice job of getting right to the point of the movie, however more character build up would have been nice to build a better back story. When the group starts engaging in casual sex with each other their true feelings start to show through and the drama ensues. The movie was a good time, but not something I would go back for second helpings. A solid rental or netflix, but nothing more. Would like to see the longer director's cut for some more of the back story, other than that I'm all set with seeing this again.

i woulda paid 5,000 for that dog.

[gracybee · 7/10 · 22 June 2009]

i thought that this movie was beautifully shot. i have seen and read almost all of mr.bechards books and films and it was nice to see a departure from the gloom and doom. i thought that jake Alexander and lynn mancinelli were stellar actors. very natural. it definitely made me think of being in similar situations with very similar outcomes. the delicious twists and turns were a nice surprise and added some spice to the plot. i would love to see a sequel that focused on the friends of the lead characters. i was really intrigued with their story line and wanted to know more about them. all in all i recommend this movie and all it's quirkiness. it also has a stellar soundtrack that was well thought out. congrats to the cast and crew for making an entertainingly funny movie.

It rocks!

[SoSickOfTheRain · 10/10 · 16 June 2009]

After many years of wonderful but exceedingly depressing films (You Are Alone) and novels (Good Neighbors, Unwound, 9th Square), filmmaker Gorman Bechard returns to his comedy roots (Psychos in Love, and his wonderful first two novels, The Second Greatest Story Ever Told and Balls) with Friends With Benefits, a movie that is billed as a romantic comedy, but is so so so much more.

I was lucky enough to get a screener of this film to coincide with the world premiere at STIFF last week. Though I couldn't make it to Seattle, I nonetheless watched the movie on Friday evening, as if I were there.

You know it's a Bechard film right off the bat when some of the first words out of any character's mouth are "The Replacements, Husker Du, Archers of Loaf." That made me smile. It also assured me another rocking the free world soundtrack was approaching quickly. The StarSpangles kicked things off during the opening credits! Side note: the rights to the songs in this film would cost the average Hollywood studio a good quarter million dollars, and yet the budget here for the entire film was less than that. So it certainly says a lot about Bechard's film-making abilities that bands of this magnitude trust him with their music, and want to be a part of his films. That speaks volumes.

Friends is a simple enough story at heart. A boy and a girl, Owen and Chloe, friends since childhood, both now in med school, both too busy for romance, decide to become friends with benefits, and have no strings attached sex, to at least lessen their burden of horniness. Of course, they've been secretly in love with each other forever, and thus the problems begin.

And though they certainly do have their issues, it's nothing compared to their four friends, who at first warn them of the dangers of sleeping with your friends, until of course the temptation becomes unbearable.

I won't reveal what happened next, but will say that about the half-way point I thought, oh, no, I can't believe Bechard is going there. Such a cliché. Well, he did...but then within second, he went one step farther, the cliché was slaughtered, and all was well with the world. Friends With Benefits crosses the line, wonderfully and comically. I won't say which line, but trust me; you'll know it when you get to it.

I was trying to think of a good comparison to other movies, and I would have to say it contains the best raunchy humor of a Judd Aptow film combined with the sweetness of the best romantic comedies like The Wedding Singer, or The Sure Thing. It's a marvelous story (with amazing music) about love and lust and longing and sexual identity, and it so rings true to life because damn if me and everyone I know didn't experiment a little in college. It IS true to life. The acting is great. The cast is adorable. I want to go for a drink with Alison. I want to do dirty things to Owen. I don't know if the band in the film really play together, but they sure seem as if they do. The editing by Bechard and Ashley McGarry, also his writing and producing partner on the project, is fast and furious. Amazing use of split screens!!! The script is crisp, with dialog that real people would actually speak. The movie looks amazing.

OK, if I were to nitpick, the first 10 minutes are a little slow. But then, the first 10 minutes of most indie films are slow. Hell, most indie films are slow, period. And I'm not in love with one of the small supporting roles, but we're talking a few lines of dialog. It's not horrible, just not as great as the leads. Okay, I really thought Jessica Bohl in You Are Alone was the greatest unknown casting find of all time, but Bechard and McGarry somehow managed to find a half dozen unknowns as talented as Bohl. Don't know how, just hope it continues.

But really, once you get to Owen on his knees -- oh, damn, the dirty thoughts again -- suggesting that he and Chloe add some benefits to their friendship, well, the movie soars, it flies, and before you know it you're wiping a few tears from your eyes right before the end credits roll, then laughing again when an early joke finally receives its punch line AFTER the end credits.

Yes, I am a fan of Gorman Bechard. And though he really only seems to have a cult following, those that get his work truly "get it". The reviews of Alone or Psychos here on IMDb, or the reviews of his novels on Amazon prove that. One day the world will know what us few already do, Bechard knows how to tell a story, how to make you think, care, laugh, cry, how to turn you on. He's the best kept secret in the entertainment world. Friends With Benefits is just another great example of that. To paraphrase Chloe, it rocked!

Sex comedy with raunch and heart

[Anne-Shulock-1 · 8/10 · 28 July 2009]

I recently saw this movie at the Sacramento Film and Music Festival, and thought it was great!

The movie centers on a group of six friends in their early 20s, and the various sexual combinations you can get from three women and three men. (One kind of silly distraction: of the six main actors, all of whom were good, one looked like Melissa Joan Hart, one looked like Mark Paul Gosselaar, and one looked like Adrian Grenier.)

I went back and forth on whether the touting of the movie as "A novel with moving pictures" and the use of chapter headings with cutesy titles was annoying or helpful, but I think I liked it, because the movie isn't a straightforward romantic comedy. It's composed of bits and pieces-- confessional-type scenes with a therapist ("Dick Weed"), split screens, music montages (the main character is in a band), flashbacks (the requisite senior prom), a fast scrolling of one character's rules for living. Plus plenty of talking about sex and then sex and then dealing with the aftermath.

Sure, there were some clichés, but the movie felt surprisingly fresh. Plus, the two leads had great chemistry. One part I didn't feel was as successful was the treatment of parents--only one set of parents makes it on screen, and it's an overbearing father pressuring his son. That relationship didn't seem to have the nuance and creativity of the friends' relationships.

For a low-budget movie, it looked and sounded lush (nice music, too).

If you have the chance to see Friends (with Benefits), I'd highly recommend it. Just maybe go with someone who you'll be comfortable sharing a raunchy evening with.

all the components

[thinmanmusic · 10/10 · 3 July 2009]

So we settle in for a romantic/comic/sex farce kinda film and going in I'm in the pocket and the wife is on the fence. But guess what? We laughed, we were touched by the sensitivity between the laughs and in the end-I got laid! It's the perfect date movie. The photography is surprisingly lush for an indie film. The use of split screens never gets confusing or trite. The dialog is fast paced but just fast enough- funny jokes within jokes-let's just say I'm enthused.I want to quit my job to follow that rock band on tour- but maybe bring them a couple of songs.Or maybe it's just that I want to follow Chloe wherever she goes. Bechard has hit his artistic stride with this film.I'm hoping his treatment of "2nd Greatest Story" will be up to these standards- he's set his bar very high.

Top Notch Film-making

[stormwatch-2 · 10/10 · 6 October 2009]

I was privileged to be able to catch this movie at the recent HELL'S HALF MILE FILM FESTIVAL in Bay City, Michigan. The night before the screening I had the honor of meeting the director and two of his actors, who kindly came to my own screening. Not only were they awesome people, they were truly genuine and great to be around. I live in Los Angeles. This does not exist there.

Friends (with Benefits) is a movie with premise that my sound familiar. Let's face it. there are very few new ideas. But dammit, I watched this movie unfold, thinking I knew exactly where it was going...and each time, I was wonderfully incorrect. The writing was crisp and biting, the direction was assured and innovative, the actors delivered wonderfully comic, tragic and SEXY performances and I literally sat there drinking it all in. I was truly sorry it ended when it did.

Special kudos go to Alex Brown and Lynn Mancinelli...and NOT just because I got to meet them and get to know them at the festival, but because their performances were STANDOUTS. What each of them can do with just a look can destroy you. These are definitely two to keep an eye on...and lucky for us, Gorman Bechard is already making that happen.

What ever you do, check this movie out. You'll be awful glad you did. I am proud to call these filmmakers my friends. How cool is that?

~Scott Storm

familiar but surprising, and very entertaining

[jksalvo · 8/10 · 30 July 2009]

I was able to watch a copy of this movie the other night that a friend of Mr. Bechard let me borrow, and the first word that comes to mind is "surprising". Surprisingly funny, surprisingly touching, and just surprising in general.

I have to admit to being a bit skeptical at first. The movie started off feeling a bit gimmicky (some scenes are split-screen, characters have interview-like discussions with a psychologist off camera, movie is divided into chapters like a book...) and cliché (both in characters and concept), and there were definitely moments early on when I felt like the movie was going to be painfully predictable. But then something changed; I'm not sure if it was the flow of the movie, or the way I was perceiving it, but what at first struck me as a set of cliché characters started feeling like a group of my old friends. The excellent dialogue, directing, and cast performances really flesh out these characters (ESPECIALLY the supporting cast), and in doing so lend the movie a certain familiarity and credibility. The two supporting male characters (Jeff and Brad), in particular, started to remind me so much of a couple friends of mine it was scary. I began caring about what happened to the people involved, and that to me is really the keystone of a good story.

Then, just when I was getting comfortable with the plot and the group of friends, the movie started throwing curveballs... decidedly raunchy and often uncomfortable curveballs at that (in a good way, of course). This is where a lot of the surprise came from. Eventually I stopped thinking that I knew what was going to happen and just sat back and enjoyed the ride. The "gimmicks" actually turned out to be quite effective tools Mr. Bechard used to round out the characters and set up and deliver some really hilarious lines. The movie itself came away feeling well paced, well thought out, and the acting was at such a level I forgot I was watching an indie flick. The soundtrack was also very good and tied in perfectly with the rest of the story.

I would definitely recommend this movie to my friends, although it might not be for everyone (especially for the summer Hollywood blockbuster types). Just be patient, give it a chance, and I know it will make you laugh (and probably cringe few times too).

Smart - Introspective

[jkjenniferkelly · 9/10 · 24 June 2009]

Gorman delivers - everything from casting, sound track and direction. The plot which 'yes' has been done before surprisingly has a fresh feel. I think everyone can relate to most, if not all the characters individually, then definitely to the group of friends as a whole. The cast has a wonderful chemistry; which keeps you enthralled. The sound track is amazing, signature Bechard - and the split screens are brilliant. Loved the supporting cast from the understated therapist to Polly and the professor; everyone brought a unique nuance to the film. Never do you feel as if you are watching a low budget Indie film, truly has the feel of major studio backing.

"Friends..., Don't F*@k"

[slluther · 10/10 · 24 July 2009]

Friends with Benefits? It's something that people will be toying with forever. Mr. Bechard's movie brings this touchy subject to light, while using a nice mix of humor and emotion. The audience is able to witness the intensity and passion that sex can bring into relationships, but also the destruction . I really enjoyed how nothing was really taboo in this movie, from toe sucking to Bulldogs. Mr. Bechard was not afraid to reveal the quirkiness of sex, those little extra tidbits and details that many are too embarrassed to expose. The dynamics of the relationships were well written. I felt the love between Chloe and Owen, as well as the tight bond between the other groups of friends. The music fit perfectly and the shots were beautiful ( I mean, the bathing scene of Shirley alone gave me goose-bumps!) I truly enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it if you are looking for a good laugh, a good cry, and possibly some new ideas!

Excellent Film Making

[turkthrust1975 · 10/10 · 27 November 2010]

I stumbled upon Friends by accident while looking for the episodic Friends With Bennefits which is shooting here in LA. This is a movie that you have to watch many times, each time you pick up a little something more. The style is a breath of fresh air. The actors are simply on top of their game. What wonderful characters they created. I'm amazed that they haven't been discovered, so to speak. Great story line. Being of the "woodstock generation" myself, Friends With B offers a look at this generation of under 30 young people which I now call the "Friends With Benefits Generation". Excellent directing, excellent acting, and very excellent photography(great DP) excellent sets, and extremely excellent lighting. Very tastefully shot passion scenes. This is a sleeper. But a smart move making it available for free on IMDb. It will surely give these young actors a lot of exposure.

Mike Agresta Burbank, CA

View with your friends, conversations will certainly be sparked.

[IndieFilmHoward · 9/10 · 19 March 2010]

Just saw this film at the Gasparilla International Film Festival in Tampa. The movie has stuck with me. Wonderful directing, acting, writing, soundtrack, cinematography (great use of split screens) . . . really everything.

It did not take long for me to feel a familiarity with the six friends and actually give a damn about them. There's twist and turns, that are subtle and extreme. Keeping me engaged, as I was never able to predict where an interaction might lead.

Friends (With Benefits) is full of life, and understands the magic that pulls friends together; especially, twenty-somethings discovering themselves.

Fun, smart, and sexy film

[Connecticut_Bob · 9/10 · 11 July 2010]

I didn't know what to expect from this movie, other than the obvious from the title of this nifty little film. What I got was a lot of sassy dialog, funny and endearing characters, and a blazingly catchy soundtrack. Gorman Bechard hits it right out of the park with this quirky and engaging adult romantic comedy.

I like how the script doesn't necessarily spoon feed every single plot point to you. Rather, it allows the scenes to develop organically and grow into some unpredictable yet hysterical situations.

The soundtrack is a very large part of this film, with a good amount of "live" music performed throughout. I found myself actively enjoying much of the music in this film.

There's a pervasive sense of realism to the characters. The overall effect of this film is that these are realistic events that are actually happening to these people (whom you grow to like and feel sympathetic for), rather than actors playing roles. The principal leads, Margaret Laney and Alex Brown, are part of a terrific ensemble cast that make this film crackle.

This is the perfect "date" movie for anyone looking for an intelligent and adult romantic comedy; especially for those that aren't afraid to ask the question that begins with "What if you and me...?"

Friends (With Benefits)

[toddjn · 10/10 · 14 October 2009]

I had the privilege of attending the screening of Friends ( With Benefits) in Bay City Michigan's Hell's Half Mile Independent film and music festival 09'. This film had me laughing, cowering in my seat with embarrassment and there were a few surprising twists that I enjoyed. I found the scenes with the split screening easy to follow and helpful to the development of the climax. The Actors and Actresses played their characters professionally, they fit their parts. The soundtrack was refreshing and uplifting. I actually saw the film twice. If giving the opportunity to buy the film on DVD I would. It's not a surprise to me that the film won "Fest Best" award (viewer's choice). Gorman B. did a fantastic job of putting the film together. I can't wait to see his next film and I hope he comes back to the festival.

Todd Nowakowski

Definitely a must see...

[eee2005 · 9/10 · 8 September 2009]

I must admit that these type of movies are very predictable. However, I was caught totally off guard by "Friends with Benefits". Just when you really think you know the characters, suddenly an unexpected twist and turn.

Friends with Benefits was a very entertaining movie. Excellent production value, with an attractive cast, witty humor and really surprising situations. I love movies that go for the throat and friends with benefits achieved this hands down. Some say that laughing is great for the soul. If so, then watch this movie and enjoy all the benefits(with your friends of course)... I look forward to more movies like this. Bravo.

sexy funny great

[acolumbia · 8/10 · 21 May 2010]

I've seen this film at least four times now and even started working with director Gorman Bechard because of it. I've enjoyed it each and every time, each in very different places and frames of mind. I've seen it in a bar, in a theater and in my home. I've seen it at a very high point in life and a very low point in my life. The story, acting and overall frame of mind the film evokes always makes me feel great and walk away impressed. The acting is for the most part excellent, the dialog is organic and flows between the very believable characters. Cinematography is quite lush and well though out, the colors and lighting always seem to pop and even in the much more difficult outdoor shots, it just works. The sound is totally solid throughout, always a killer on indie features. Everything is completely crisp and makes the piece work as a whole.

If it's not dirty, You're doing something wrong.

[lovelikenapalm · 8/10 · 18 August 2009]

While the whole idea of friends with benefits may seem like a cliché Mr. Bechard's take on it in this movie is anything but that! It will open your eyes to a broader view on "unconventional sex". Never before has the concept of friends with benefits been so beautifully aestheticized. While the beginning may seem a little "slow" trust me the plot kicks into high gear and you will soon find yourself completely immersed into the film. The cinematography itself was amazing, the bathing shot was probably the most effortlessly erotic thing i have seen in cinema in a while. The film was shot beautifully with an amazing soundtrack. I could definitely feel the strong connection between Chloe and Owen as well as the bond the other characters shared. This film will definitely make you re-examine the role sex plays in your relationships and possibly even give you some ideas ;)With the quirky unexpected plot twists i.e. the blond all American boy getting off with the help of a dog! I would highly recommend this movie, i thoroughly enjoyed it from the beginning to the denouement.

An indie film with heart.

[lauren-k-mcgarry · 9/10 · 16 November 2009]

After viewing the film at the Royal Flush Film Festival in NYC, I was impressed with the heart that the film had. Like most good independent films, FWB shows the passion and dedication that the filmmakers put into creating it. The story rings true to everyone on some level and it has some very nice moments (both of the humorous and touching varieties). The dialog has some real high points to accompany some very funny visuals. Though the content may make some people uncomfortable, the writers/editors dealt with the subject matter in a simple, yet effective way. A fine little film. I would recommend this film to a friend.

A funny, sexy original!

[stevem1191 · 9/10 · 26 October 2009]

F(WB) is a fun and quirky look at the (somewhat convoluted) personal lives of six twenty-somethings who decide its time to experiment with some "non-traditional" relationships. The writing is hysterical and will remind those of us who are no longer in our twenties of those heady days of hook-ups and romantic misunderstandings. And it doesn't shy away from the raunch. The cast is outstanding. The crisp, witty dialogue (which sounds almost Tarantino-esquire in its funny, gritty realism) is delivered at a clip that grabs and holds the viewer's attention throughout. I didn't notice the time passing while watching this movie. This movie's not for kids, and I mean that in a good way. I'd love to have a beer with Alison.

When your friend's bed seems convenient

[TheHrunting · 27 July 2011]

Six gals and guys--Chloe, Owen, Alison, Jeff, Shirley, Brad--who are all close friends figuring out what they want out of life, in a non-linear fashion candidly hang around with back and forth talks about drinking and sex with a lingering question in the middle: Can you be friends first before being physically involved and would it jeopardize the friendship if feelings arise? It just can't be done everybody defends. Little do the rest know that recently childhood companions Owen and Chloe are already rustling in the sheets currently without consequence.

They're all promiscuous anyway with everyone else but themselves, with Jeff a porn webmaster, Shirley a frisky bartender, and Alison a goody two-shoes looking gal who sees a sex therapist and has a plethora of wants and desires. Soon enough the cat jumps out of the bag about the two and eventually the other four are all going at it in a free-for-all, including man on woman, woman on woman, and man on man. For the most part it leaves out the point blank shots, except for one of the chicks being topless and everybody kissing. Some can't get the lust out of their heads, though feelings get hurt and things feel awkward as some didn't want to go that far. Meanwhile Owen and Chloe can't figure out what they have and if it should be taken to the next level since he's gotten a scholarship offer and she wants him to go on the road with her band.

"Friends (with Benefits)" is like a feel-good party that you wish you had an invitation as everybody is charismatic and happening with a beer in hand and is openly telling stories and jokes without an end in sight, but then suddenly somebody shoots the clown. Friends run in all directions with confusion and mixed feelings, but then attempt to carry on and mend what they had back together again. The beginning feels all over the place with random people, time lines and conversations that spark interest but only a minimal interval to appreciate them unless you hit the rewind button three times. That at least gives this replay value, but the dilemma with "F (wB)" is its latter pacing that attempts to show rather than say, but in contrast makes the picture look top heavy with ideas. It starts fresh with engrossing and inventive energy by saying a lot in a short amount of time, and those creative aspects can be appreciated in an indy film, but then it gradually turns into a predictable rom-com formula despite a few misdirections.

The exaggerated world they live in is filled with anywhere from catchy to sympathetic music of the soundtrack kind to lend feeling and atmosphere, with a tone of crude but fun perversion and at times seduction. The jokes range from interspliced shots with all cast included doing private interviews with a sex therapist named Dr. Richard Weed, to just exceptional sex stories and mishaps. "Friends (with Benefits)" has extremely good chemistry and at times surprisingly good performances between the cast. It sets up what their profession and hobbies are so the audience gets to know each of them and how it relates to their conversations and interactions. The principle players could have made several other movies together similar to how Kevin Smith's View Askew Universe is connected because they all seem like believably good friends who have some hiccups here and there but for the most part seemed tailored to their part.

This is a simple story surrounded by some workable and not so workable gimmicks, such as tediously being broken into 19 chapters ("A novel with moving pictures"), which at first seems innovative but eventually its ornate sails only get blown so far, not to mention it holds the audiences' hand every step of the way to what's going on. There are some split screen shots that effectively handle the characters interacting similarly but in different locations. It definitely has some funny moments, dialogue and performances that are charming enough that you wish you were actually there to be apart of, but part of this feels unrefined from getting a little ambitious with trying to tackle everything at once about the "big question" and then letting itself off the hook a little easily when it concludes. This goes from a snappy, somewhat wacky comedy to a slowly developing melodramatic romance. It went from not taking itself seriously with everything being in excess to expecting you to still be with them when they flip that upside down to polar opposites, as it turns sober with weighing the gravity of what they've done.

In regards to "No Strings Attached" and "Friends with Benefits" from 2011, this early movie from 2009 actually attempts to answer some of the questions, where those others had more of a guise at being provocative. "No Strings Attached" didn't actually have them as friends but rather childhood acquaintances with a guy with a heart who convinces a gal who hides hers to go further with what they have after getting used to each other and liking the stability despite it being unorthodox and not a "normal" relationship. "FwB" 2011 was a simpler and safer version but more in the direction of a poke (no pun intended) at other rom-coms with two suppressed romantics at heart who click because the unconventional terms they established were actually relationship material for them specifically. Where those others did borrow off of "Friends (with Benefits)" 2009, was they start out as somewhat goofy comedies that present a promiscuous premise and then revert back to a hopeful rom-com outlook, not to mention all boil down to emotions and show that it can possibly work under exceptions that they themselves frequently dismiss. Now that Hollywood ran the idea into the ground we need Adrian Lyne to make another come back with one of his sexy thrillers.