Friends with Benefits (2011)

Dylan (Justin Timberlake) moves to New York for a job after Jamie (Mila Kunis), a headhunter, recruits him. Both are tired of relationships and sure that sex without feelings is easy, so they make a deal to be physical but stay friends, with a rule that emotions are off the table.

What it shows about dating

The film is a clear take on the fuck buddy idea: a clear arrangement that depends on both people staying honest with themselves. It also plays on the old friend zone fear in reverse, by asking what happens when two friends are attracted to each other but both pretend they aren’t. Their rules sound confident and break down quickly because they never talk about what they actually feel.

What you can learn

• Agree on expectations, and revisit them. A deal made on day one doesn’t survive a change of heart unless someone says it out loud.
• Friendship is a good base. They know each other well, and that is what makes the relationship work in the end.
• Don’t hide behind rules. Pretending you don’t care, as both do for a while, delays everything.