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Olivia Thirlby Joins Portman & Kutcher in Friends with Benefits

by Ethan Anderton
April 26, 2010

Along with big names like Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, it looks like Ivan Reitman's forthcoming sex comedy formerly known as Friends with Benefits is adding quite a collection of indie flare to the cast. Just last week mumblecore favorite Greta Gerwig joined and now The Wrap reports that Olivia Thirlby is in talks to join the 2008 Black Listed comedy as Portman's sister in a story which is described as "an inverse When Harry Met Sally" about two people whose no-strings-attached relationship is threatened when they begin to develop real feelings for one another. Could this be Reitman's return to successful comedic form?

There's a decent chance, especially if Columbia's wishes to have him taken off as director of Ghostbusters 3 come true. Honestly, I think this is the kind of comedy Reitman should be spending his time on rather than trying to hang on to the glory of his golden career days. If the Ghostbusters are truly going to be the next generation, then it needs a director from the next generation, and so instead, a sexual comedy with a great cast should be a good test to whether or not he still has what it takes to make great comedies, or if he's just past his prime. It can't be any worse that My Super Ex-Girlfriend, which Reitman directed, that's for sure.

Thirlby's addition to the cast can only help this movie, as the lovely lady was quite the supporting actress in Juno, and has shown her talent in other films like Snow Angels and The Wackness. She's come a long way since appearing as an unknown in United 93 (she's tough to spot, but she's got a couple decent snippets of screen-time). The next couple years are looking pretty big for Thirlby who is also set to star in a new sci-fi action alien invasion project called The Darkest Hour. Stay tuned as even more cast is added to the comedy and a new title (to avoid confusion with other projects) is figured out. Anyone else a big fan of Thirlby?

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