January 22, 2011 No Strings Attached
Studio: Paramount Pictures Rating: R for sexual content, language and some drug material.
The romantic comedy "No Strings Attached" poses a question about friends. Or, more specifically, "friends with benefits."
Can two people stay buddies while spending lots of time together in bed...having sex? Or is love inevitable in that situation?
Well, in real life, it's probably not. But this is Hollywood...so you know how this movie is going to end before you buy your ticket.
Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher star. She's Emma, a too-busy medical student not interested in a relationship. He's Adam, a good-looking behind-the-scenes television "gopher" guy who is more than happy to accommodate her wishes.
She wants a physical relationship, but no romance. Being a guy, he signs up immediately!
The arrangement works pretty well for a while. Adam's buddies tell him he's living a dream, and Emma is constantly contacting him to "hook up."
But Adam soon discovers what everyone else, including the audience, knew all along. Emma is irresistible...and that revelation threatens the entire arrangement.
Yes, this movie is predictable. Yes, you'll see where the plot is going a mile away.
But, in this film's defense, the performances are solid...there are lots of laughs and I stayed interested to the end.
Maybe I'm just a sucker for a love story, even one as unconventional as this.
"No Strings Attached" isn't a revolutionary film but it's a pleasant outing if you go in with a pretty good idea of what you're gonna get.
On my rating scale..."No Strings Attached earns a TRIPLE. I almost gave it a double..but Natalie Portman is worth bumping it up a notch. She is just getting better and better, and is quickly becoming my favorite actress.
PRIME PICKS THE BIG BANG THEORY Tonight at 7:30 PM The Zarnecki Incursion
The guys try to figure out who hacked Sheldon's online-game account
January 22, 2011
