Review of No Strings Attached (2011) by Erika M — 01 Sep 2011

This film is neither dreadful nor overly good ... it pretty much falls right in the middle. It is predictable tripe; but it has a decent cast of actors playing some lamely-written characters. Recent Oscar-winning Best Actress, Natalie Portman (Black Swan, Beautiful Girls, Closer) plays Emma and Ashton Kutcher (Dude Where's My Car, What Happens in Vegas, Valentine's Day) plays Adam.

[uhm ... look at their filmographies ... can you guess which actor is out of HIS/her league here?] Emma and Adam bump into each other off-and-on for years, until they finally meet up one last time (after they've matured into full-time job-working adults) and decide to become "friends with benefits" .

.. or to have a sexual relationship with "No Strings Attached". And ... that's the entire film. Any human with a logical mind who has watched a few rom-coms in the past KNOWS exactly where this tale is going to end up.

None of the other characters really matter -- Kevin Kline (In & Out, A Fish Called Wanda) as Adam's aging playboy dad, Olivia Thirlby (Juno, New York I Love You) as Emma's soon-to-be-married sister, Greta Gerwig (Arthur, Greenberg) as Portman's co-working/roomie or Cary Elwes (Saw, The Princess Bride) as Emma's other co-worker etc.

-- although most of the acting here is top-notch (in such a film). Some jokes get played too often and they become stale but that is to be expected in a Hollywood romantic comedy ... this is simply another "nothing new" to throw into this review.

Portman is a better actress than this material allows her to be; but she is probably what ultimately "saves" this flick from the tediuos mediocrity it is almost-destined to become. Later in the year, we'll be treated to the Hollywood-redo of this film ALREADY!! Keep your eyes out for a Justin Timberlake/Mila Kunis retread (funny only b/c Kunis was Portman's co-star/nemesis in the already-mentioned Black Swan).

Hollywood has made yet another similar-themed movie showdown. Place your bets ...