No Strings Attached (2011)
Summary
Genre: Comedy, Drama, RomanceGoodies:
+ One of Ashton Kutcher's better films, + Better than a lot of other films in the genreBaddies:
- Not one of Natalie Portman's better films, - Decent, yet still mediocreA guy and girl try to keep their relationship strictly physical, but it’s not long before they learn that they want something more.
Normally, I do not watch movies alone, I try to watch them with someone because I think there is something to be said about a shared experience / discussion of a film, but now that my old roommate is gone, I am going to have to get used to watching films solo. Tonight was the first attempt at that, I was bored and just threw something on really quick, which is also a completely new thing for me. I didn’t spend over an hour deciding, this was the 3rd film I came to and said “sure why not”. Now, I am a huge proponent of dislike for Ashton Kutcher films. I think he’s a doofus and he has traditionally played the role of the stupid guy because he is, in fact, a stupid guy. I will give him “Personal Effects” (with Michelle Pfeiffer), I did enjoy that film a lot. I assumed this film was going to go in my “pre-packaged, romantic comedy” trash bin at the end of it all, and although I threw it in that direction, it just hit the rim and fell outside of the canister. Now, the film was in no way movie genius, but it made me laugh and it made me smile, and for this type of film, those are the two emotions you want to have. Of course, there was the, “will they be together” (even though you know they will) dynamic, and the writing was in no way brilliant, but it kept me entertained (which is baseline for any film), and I thought the acting was pretty decent (after the first 20 minutes or so). I did like the spin on the film where the female is the character that wants to be friends with benefits and the guy is the one who falls for the girl (I think it helped me like Kutcher a bit more), but there were no glaring problems with the film that made me dislike it. If you are in the mood for a light romantic comedy (with some drama), this is a lot better than some of the other films that I have seen in this genre! Viva Natalie Portman (there’s always hope when she is in a film!!)
