Amici, amanti e...

No Strings Attached (2011)

You expect more than you're going to get here. There are two strong leads, Natalie Portman at her finest relaxed self (seeming) and Ashton Kutcher in a slightly amusing, self-deprecating mode that is a little dulling but fits his part. But there isn't the necessary conflict here to make their attraction take on fire. They drift together, they push apart, they find each other again, and so on, all mildly engaging and a bit sleepy.

And don't expect much from Kevin Kline, either, mostly because his part is small and a bit canned, a caricature dad with too much to prove. The rest of the cast is frankly just functional, and you start to look harder at why the movie fizzles with so much apparent talent, especially Portman. And the only real answer is the director, who is more a producer at heart, Ivan Reitman. You can't fault the success of some of his movies, but it's an uneven bunch, from "Ghostbusters" to "Kindergarden Cop." Something lacks energy and imagination here, and the writing stretched a bit.

Enjoyable? Somewhat. Be warned, it's not funny, romantic, or energized enough to quite make it on any score.

This movie is far more better than you might think! It's not just sex, sex, sex! It's actually fairly good! The is mostly about two friends; two sex friends. Ashton Kutcher's character is a down to earth guy, and Nataile Portman's character is basically a crazy chick. He wants to start a relationship with her, but she put's out that she is two busy to have one and she's not good at having relationships. So they basically become sex friends.

It's not a typical Hollywood romantic/comedy! It goes a little off "Formula", if you know what I mean. Some of the plot is a little awkward and dumb, but overall a "Ok" movie.

This movie has a typical romantic comedy plot but honestly, the only variables in all romantic comedies are characters and script dialogue.

Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher do a great job of exhibiting chemistry and getting the audience to hope the two of them into a happily ever after denouement.

They're both beautiful and appealing to a lot of people. Their performances are a great combination of crack up laughter and heart felt longing.

The dialogue is witty and somewhat vulgar in certain instances that makes for a fun time whether you're out with your friends or on a date.

Can you really ever be just "friends with benefits"? After a drunken adventure ends with Adam (Kutcher) naked on Emma's (Portman) couch they decide to strike a deal. When Adam wants something more the problems begin. This is a chick flick that many guys will also enjoy. A little more girlie then I was expecting, but still a really, really funny movie. The movie is pretty raunchy in some parts and you will find it difficult not to laugh. If you are looking for a chick flick that your boyfriend/husband will watch with you this is a great choice. If you are looking for a movie for your girlfriend/wife that will not be two hours of torture for you this is a great choice. Very, very funny for both sexes, enough romance for the ladies, and enough comedy for the men. A perfect movie for date night. A little predictable, but most romantic comedies are. I give it a B+.

Would I watch again? - I actually would.

*Also try - Going The Distance & Love And Other Drugs

I had very low expectations for No Strings Attached. The couple would make the decision to use each, one would fall for the other, and in the end they would live happily ever after. I was correct about the overall story line, but, impressively, the writers found a way the mix in enough comedy to keep you entertained for the full 110 minutes. On top of that, there is enough cutsie romance to make for the perfect date night movie. Comedy to make you laugh and romance to cheer up any romantic girl.... sounds like a romantic comedy to me!

Natalie Portman shows her range of acting abilities by having two extremely different films in theaters at the same time. I was thoroughly impressed with her ability to drop the comedic one liners and portray a unaffectionate woman who's fallen in love realistically. Comparing this to her award-winning role in Black Swan made her abilities even more impressive. I cannot say the same for Ashton Kutcher. He has a great face and is great at comedic acting. However, each serious, romantic scene he was in became unrealistic and uncomfortable.

Overall, this is the perfect date night or girls night movie. It has some great comedic moments and brings in the romance that most ladies love to see. If you are looking for a light-hearted romantic comedy, this is a great choice.

See more reviews at http://burningreview.blogspot.com/