While everybody is just talking about the Oscar nominated Tom Hopper’s “The King’s Speech” and David O Russell’s “The Fighter”, director Ivan Reitman’s “No Strings Attached” comes up with a lighter note; nothing too extravagant, yet a complete entertaining romantic comedy film of recent times.[break]
Popularly known as a director of comedy films like “Stripes”, “Cannibal Girls”, “Evolution”, “Foxy Lady”, “I Love You, Man” and “My Super Ex-Girlfriend”, Reitman follows his household way of making cinemas and safely lands again in the face of comedy and romance, the elements that “No Strings Attached” is enriched with.
Ashton Kutcher, who became a household name in Hollywood after being nominated for the Sierra Award Best Male Newcomer (2000) and MTV Movies Award Breakthrough Male Performance (2001) for the film “Dude, Where’s My Car?” is still seriously hilarious through his journey up to “No Strings Attached.”
On the contrary, the stunning Natalie Portman, who is not known basically for comedy like Kutcher is, and recently awed millions of her fans through her breakthrough performance in Daron Aronofshy’s “Black Swan” is equally compatible, and the duo’s onscreen chemistry is just too perfect to tickle your funny bone throughout the movie.
In fact, Portman’s performance is found real through “No Strings Attached” than what she did for “Balck Swan”.
Adam (Kutcher) is a low-paid TV writer while Emma (Portman) is a medical student.
They first meet when they are in grade 6 and get into a one-night stand. Years have passed before they come to meet each other again at a “drink-all-night” party and recall their first meet.
Their friendship begins with Adam attending the funeral of Emma’s dad, where she introduces him to her mother as a boy that she first had sex with when she was just fourteen.
They don’t meet each other again until Adam turns out to be a TV writer while Emma is now a medical doctor. For a doctor who works “80 hours a week” and “34 extra shifts”, there is no space for “communication”, “commitment” and “relationship” for Emma while Adam, who has enough space for all these, is ironically heartbroken after his breakup with Vanessa (the gorgeous Ophelia Lovibond).
To add salt and pepper to his wound, his father (Kevin Kline) is dating Vanessa.
While Adam is finding a comfort zone in Emma after their lovemaking, Emma is however not ready to fall into the “weirdness” of love.
The two however agree to establish a relationship of “Friend with Benefits; Sex buddies.” But Adam is sure that their sexual relationship will soon turn into love.
The story takes a turn when Adam falls in love with Emma but she refuses to commit.
The prospect of the film is iffy at its best. Though its plot finds similarities with Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider in “Last Tango in Paris” that also had a no-strings-attached theme of not defined relationship, director Ivan Reitman however gives his own niche and finesse through his utmost humor abilities in the script written by Elizabeth Meriwether.
There are enough spaces in the movie where you get to share a good laugh. Be it during the initials of the movie where Adams wake up as a hung-over naked dude in Emma’s place or during when his friends keep on ragging him that he had a one night-stand with Emma and gave her a balloon the very next day.
Be it when they decide to become the FWBs (Friend with Benefits) and all the places from the emergency room to the back seat of the car and inside the operation theater where they make love. Even Kevin Kline, who plays a carefree dad of Kutcher, often asks his son about his sex life, dates his ex-girlfriend and shares the weed, does his job with utmost attitude for all the little he gets to do.
All is funny till it lasts and then you smile out of the theater. Ashton Kutcher as always is a charming happy-go-lucky guy who shares a great chemistry onscreen with Natalie Portman who is soon to win the Oscar for “Black Swan.”
Go for it to get out of the sigh of relief from the “Tanu Weds Manu” hangover and giggle at the “sexual” romantic comedy of Ivan Reitman for a total entertaining experience.
Screening at QFX
The writer is Program Officer at Indian Cultural Centre.
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