The Movie Press
  • Movie Reviews
  • Twitter News/Updates
  • News & Notes
  • DVD
  • Box Office Results
  • Contact
  • About Us

"No Strings Attached:" a friend with very few benefits

1/20/2011

0 Comments

 
No Strings Attached
I love that with the advent of Sex and the City that studios are all like “A-ha! Women love talking about sex just as much as men! And they can be raunchy too! Let’s capitalize on this!” It was only a matter of time before romantic comedies geared at women would also start to market this newfound realization that women have potty mouths too. Take, for example, this year’s Going the Distance, a not-great movie that tried to toe the line between sweet, quirky rom com and raunchy sex comedy. No Strings Attached suffers the same problem, except it lacks the likability of Justin Long and is replaced instead with the awful presence of Ashton Kutcher.

Just, please don’t tell me, Ivan Reitman, that this film is a feminist romantic comedy. I might barf again.

No Strings Attached is the story of Adam (Kutcher), a lowly assistant on a Glee-esque TV show with a famous dad (Kevin Kline), who meets Emma (Natalie Portman), a medical intern who doesn’t want any romantic attachments. So, of course, the two decide to just have sex, no strings attached without the promise of feelings—or breakfast. Along for the ride are their goofy friends, Greta Gerwig, Ludacris, Jake M. Johnson, and Mindy Kaling. Can these two learn how to make sex uncomplicated without falling in love? Spoiler Alert: no, of course not.

Yes, No Strings Attached is insanely formulaic. Extremely. But it decides to up the rom com antics by trying to take on Judd Apatow with raunchy jokes. However, No Strings Attached feels more like SATC reruns on TBS: watered down and more sitcom-y. There’s really nothing raunchy or sex comedy about this film minus a few well-placed jokes about menstruation. Sure, I giggled a few times. I have to admit that Natalie Portman is actually funny. She is, by far, the best part of this film. Kevin Kline would take that prize if he was given more to do, but…alas.

And then there is Kutcher. He is…Ashton Kutcher, which is, to say, terrible.

But I fail to see how Reitman, a comedy master, deems No Strings Attached as a feminist romantic comedy. I get that it’s somehow empowering that women want sex, but it just makes the characters in this film out to be hard-heartened shrews who hate feelings.

No Strings Attached is a pretty "meh" film. It’s not terrible, but it’s not great. I’m glad Portman is in it rather than Katherine Heigl, but even she can’t save it from the awfulness that is Ashton Kutcher. I’m holding out for Friends with Benefits to get my raunchy rom com fill.

--Darcie Duttweiler

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    October 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    July 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008

    Categories

    All
    Austin Film Festival
    Darcie Duttweiler Reviews
    Derrick Mitcham Reviews
    Eric Harrelson Reviews
    Eric Pulsifer Reviews
    Eric Pulsifer Reviews
    Fantastic Fest
    Greg Maclennan Reviews
    Greg Wilson Reviews
    Jessica Hixson Reviews
    Mark Collins Reviews
    Monte Monreal Reviews
    Reviews
    Rob Heidrick Reviews
    Rob Heidrick Reviews
    Sxsw

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.