Geekscape Reviews No Strings Attached
No Strings Attached stars Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher as friends with benefits and the dynamic that happens between a couple who have unmatched romantic expectations. In a role reversal from what you might be expecting, Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters, Stripes) directs a story in which the guy wants more, and the girl is only interested in what a man can provide between the sheets.
Romantic Comedies are a dime a dozen in Hollywood and they are usually thrown together with borrowed cash and some masking tape. They usually end with unresolved dynamics between characters that don’t make much sense. Most leave you with a hollow feeling and the fact that you just wasted 10 bucks and 90 minutes of your life.
Every now and then though, a movie classified as a Romantic Comedy comes along that’s not a piece of Hollywood crud. Remember When Harry Met Sally or Sleepless in Seattle? Both films reflected the age they were made in and captured our hearts and minds with well balanced, earnest characters that made sense on the screen and in our hearts.
When I see a movie described as a rom-com, I first cringe and then imagine an A-list star, a dumb and/or confusing plot line, and of course the “happy ending” that makes no sense except to someone with no common sense. Hollywood thinks we’re dumb and keeps cramming junk down our throats.
Ivan Retiman’s new film, No Strings Attached, is more than just what you’ve come to expect from a modern, romantic comedy; It has the perfect splash of drama, but I wouldn’t call it a “dramedy.” Dramedy brings to mind something serious, with a few funny scenes. Instead, this film is so uniquely blended between the two (it’s a romantic comedy with elements of a drama), that it creates a definite sense of empathy with the characters that doesn’t feel empty, without merit or overly light. I attribute this to Reitman’s very impressive body of work that began in the late 1960’s as a producer/director. His expertise in crafting a worthwhile visual story, combined with thoughtful casting, contemporary acting, and cohesive editing all combine to create a worthy film.
The story is a direct reflection of the world we live in today. People are busy focusing on careers and the work it takes to create a meaningful sexual relationship often takes a back seat. The film explores what it’s like to be in an unequal, emotional relationship, complete with the fun and excitement in the beginning, and the emotional turmoil that evolves from mixed expectations in the end. Part of what makes this movie so endearing is that it captures the delicate essence of romantic happiness, unresolved love, and the angst involved in losing it, all in a very contemporary form.
Natalie Portman, just off a big win for The Black Swan at the Golden Globes, plays a student doctor named Emma, working as much as 80 hours a week. She doesn’t have time for love and all the gushy, spooning stuff. She’s asks Kutcher’s character Adam, “Do you want to do this? Have sex, no strings attached…. This is going to be fun.”
She see’s Kutcher’ character as nothing more than a cute booty call. Like any stereo typical guy, Adam, is more than willing. What gives it a nice twist is that he wants more than just the sex. We’ve seen this before from time to time in other story lines, but not so well or as believably portrayed. Be it a mix of chemistry between the two, skill, experience, and/or just good writing, the two come together effortlessly on the screen. Think Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in You’ve Got Mail but geared for twenty-somethings and up.
There’s no denying that Kutcher and Portman have chemistry. In an interview with Reitman on Cinemablend.com, he shares his thoughts on casting the two of them. When he brought them together, and watched them interact, he saw “them startle a little bit. You saw how lovely that was. It allowed for the suspension of disbelief that all good movies need to have, especially romantic comedies…” Too many rom-coms depend upon the big name, A-lister, to carry the story. This film may have top billing actors, but the story is what captivates.
Part of Kutcher’s appeal is that he’s so in love with Portman that he’s willing to play by her rules in the hopes that if he does, and also hangs in there long enough, she will come around and love him equally. One pitfall that Reitman and screenwriter Elizabeth Meriwether managed to navigate around with his character is in avoiding him coming across as a puppy dog. He never seems unattractive or weak, and plays off his feelings for her from a healthy position (because face it, no one likes a door mat).
Kevin Kline (Dave, Fish Called Wanda) plays a Hollywood writer, who’s over the hill, but in impossibly good shape and chasing the young ladies. He even dates his son’s ex in the film in an attempt to recapture his youth. Rather than being a parody of an old man with a young woman, he comes off as knowledgeable, and fully aware of his choices. You can’t hate the guy for wanting his youth. This character could have been such a dunce or creep but it’s conveyed articulately and well intentioned (even when he makes such an obvious bad choice). Also, look for the homage to A Fish Called Wanda and Kline’s dog in the film.
If there was one romantic comedy in the last five years as good as this one, I can’t recall. Most of them only act as fodder for the soul and a way to kill some time. But these are slot machines that never payout. Most people just sit there and keep feeding the machine, until they run out of money and good sense. No Strings Attached is like hitting a jackpot, and walking away with your winnings.
