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How pride gets in the way of love (FWB vs NSA)

So I watched two movies about friends with benefits with the intent of comparing and contrasting them. Interestingly, both movies were released in 2011.

From now on, I will only be using acronyms for the movies. Friends With Benefits (FWB) and No Strings Attached (NSA). Also for the actors. Justin Timberlake (JT), Mila Kunis (MK), Ashton Kutcher (AK), and Natalie Portman (NP).

I'll use the actors' initials to mean their characters because I can hardly remember their characters' names.

This post contains SPOILERS. You've been warned.

image grabbed from slashfilm.com

Chemistry-wise, I think NSA is better. AK and NP are more believable as a couple. Personally, I relate to NP's character the most.

Pride: one of the seven deadly sins 

I didn't like FWB very much. Although, MK is hot so there's that. I just can't pinpoint exactly when JT fell in love with her. Is it during that Hollywood climb? Climbing with her even though he's afraid of heights. I can't quite tell.




But JT's character is so prideful. He's the one who inadvertently hurt MK but he's so stubborn he won't apologize. It's frustrating having these flawed characters. But that's the point, right?



Otherwise, there would be no conflict and hence no movie. While I'm judging JT, I can clearly see myself letting pride get in the way of love. Who are you anyway? I don't need you. I can survive on my own!

Which brings me to Natalie Portman's character in No Strings Attached.

She's JT's female counterpart. They both have their walls up. She's afraid of love. Etc. etc.

The best way to explain her character is through the song Runaway by Sasha Sloan.

Because that's what she does. When something becomes too real, she runs away. It's a great song, have a listen.

At the start of the movie, NP's character Emma has this to say.

Look, I’m not really an affectionate person. People aren’t meant to be together forever.

And I think that encapsulates Emma's outlook on love.

She's quirky, okay. And then she invites AK into this stupid thing which turned out to be her father's funeral. So AK looked stupidly out of place in a yellow hoodie.



To make the story short, AK asks out NP on a date on Valentine's day. She agreed. But then he tells her he loves her. She doesn't like that. So she pushes him away.

Okay... why though? I really don't get it either.

A threesome

So AK is hurt, understandably. NP tells him he should meet other people. Okay, fine. He met these two girls and he has this brilliant idea to take a picture and send it to NP.

Why do people do this? Why do people intentionally hurt the people they claim to love? Pettiness? Revenge?

I don't get it. But anyway, NP got the message. She rushes to AK's home and finds that she's already too late.

She lost him.

And here NP shows her vulnerability. Ah, she's human after all. The pretense of indifference is broken.

As she was about to give up, AK's father is rushed to the hospital. She receives a text. Got a glimmer of hope.

AK calls her after a "lecture" from his father. Realizes he should give their love another chance. Calls her. Forgives her.



“We don’t pick who we fall in love with. And it never happens like it should.”
He didn't make it easy for her though. She was a mess when she arrived. With donuts all over her face. She was stress eating when she thought she lost him.

So which movie did I like better? NSA, no question. I feel like it's more nuanced. Although NP's character can be crazy. Pushing him away like that then regretting when he's had enough.

But still, their love story is sweet. I can feel that the couple are really into each other. Just the right amount of vulnerability and fun.

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