Welcome to A-Z Movie Reviews. Every Sunday, for the next several months, I will be posting a review of a film in my home movie collection. How it works is, I will be reviewing movies in alphabetical order until I get to the letter Z (Yes, I do have a film that ends in Z). Now I realize there are many ways to alphabetize a film collection, but this is mine so don’t judge me. This is simply for fun.
I love Natalie Portman. She’s been one of my favorite actresses for as long as I can remember. She is so talented and always does a very good job of making me cry (See A-Z Movie Review: ‘Closer’). It was a nice change to see her in a comedic role in No Strings Attached.
What it’s about:
A guy and girl try to keep their relationship strictly physical, but it’s not long before they learn that they want something more.
Emma (Portman) and Adam (Ashton Kutcher) are two people that have basically known each other since childhood. They met during summer camp and over the next several years they kept bumping into each other. After another run-in, the two of them end up sleeping together.
Emma is a very busy doctor who has no time for relationships or getting swept up by emotion. She just wants someone she can hop into bed with when she’s feeling amorous without all the strings of a real relationship. Hence, the film title No Strings Attached.
Adam has always liked Emma so he tells her he can be that guy for her. The problem is, after awhile, Adam wants more. He’s a very emotional guy and is not afraid to admit his feelings. Naturally, this causes problems for Emma because for some reason, which honestly this film doesn’t explain, she’s very closed off. Relationships scare her and it’s been going on since her childhood. That’s one of the things I didn’t like about No Strings Attached.
The film is fun, and both Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher are cute but I feel that if you create a character who has an aversion to being in a relationship because they don’t want to be hurt, we need some clarity as to why. There’s a brief conversation between Emma and her mom but that comes later in the film and it still doesn’t really clarify why she has been this way since she was a kid.
The thing I did like about No Strings Attached was that it wasn’t the typical film where the woman is the one who is all lovey dovey and wanting to fall in love. Most of the time, that’s how a lot of Romantic comedies work. Emma knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to say it. It was nice to see a film where the female character was taking charge in this way.
Something else that I liked about No Strings Attached was finding out how funny Natalie Portman is. I was always used to seeing her in serious roles so I enjoyed watching her make jokes and she has great comedic timing.
Overall, No Strings Attached is a fun film with an entertaining storyline. If you like Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, I recommend checking it out.
What do you say? Will you give it a chance? Feel free to share with us in the comments below!
No Strings Attached is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
