No Strings Attached: Plot in a Nutshell
Emma (Natalie Portman) and Adam (Ashton Kutcher) go way back to summer camp. Never really friends or lovers, they keep crossing paths, until one day they decide to finally have sex. It is fun, and they realize they can just be friends with benefits. Although this is more Emma’s idea than Adam’s, he decides to go with it and live every guy’s fantasy: a no-strings-attached, sexual relationship with a beautiful woman. But Emma is smart, funny and just different, and it doesn’t take long for Adam to want more. And while Emma is also developing feelings for him, she just can’t risk getting hurt. She keeps sabotaging the chances of a relationship. Will Adam settle for the friends with thing, or will he keep challenging Emma?
Details and the Verdict
On the surface, the movie doesn’t seem to offer something new or very interesting. The trailer is sort of funny, but to be honest, I never expected the movie to be this funny. It is often quite hilarious, with some laugh-out-loud moments. Also the trailer hides one of the movie’s biggest gems – Kevin Kline as Adam’s father. Kline plays a morally corrupt (watch the movie to see what he does:)), but loving, weed-smoking famous actor whose fame, and TV show lines, keep haunting Adam. Adam also has to deal with the “wisdom” of his two best friends, Wallace (Ludacris), Eli (Jake M. Johnson).
This movie is full of great one-liners, funny characters, good comedic timing as well as some decent physical comedy on Ashton’s part. Our Oscar-winning Natalie doesn’t disappoint in a comedy. And while Ashton does run the risk of being typecast as the funny but hunky romantic lead, I have no complaints here. The guy knows how to entertain his audience.
Yes, just like almost every romantic comedy, this one has a happy ending. But with romcoms, it is almost always about the journey of the couple, and this one offers a very entertaining one at that. It does inevitably get romantic (and emotional) on occasion, but this doesn’t take away from all the moments it made you grin and laugh.
See it. Currently, 6.3 on IMDB. I think it deserves a 7.
Written by Elizabeth Meriwether & Michael Samonek. Directed by Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters series, Six Days Seven Nights).
Fun note:
Boston Legal’s Lake Bell co-stars as Adam’s neurotic and talkative friend/co-worker.
Favorite lines:
- Adam & Emma are having sex anytime, anywhere. At Adam’s house, Eli. comes knocking on the door to complain:
Eli: I can’t concentrate on the porn with all the real sex going on around here!
- Wallace tells Adam to man-up & (and try to have sex with Lake Bell’s character), right after Wallace has cried at the shooting of the episode Adam has written.
Eli: You just cried at the show!
Wallace:I liked it!
**
Favorite Scenes:
– Pretty much any interaction Ashton has with Kevin Kline.
– When Ashton wakes up naked at Emma’s house (from the trailer).
**
Also on Natalie Portman
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Love and Other Impossible Pursuits: The Natalie Portman Movie We Aren’t Excited About
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Also on Kevin Kline:
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In & Out starring Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Matt Dillon & Tom Selleck