No Strings Attached (DVD)

There is a major problem with No Strings Attached. The movie presents itself as a smart, funny, rauncy, romantic comedy. The problem? Well, it's just not funny. That's not to say it's bad, per se. Because it's not. If you go into it expecting a cliche romance with a pretty stellar cast then you probably won't be disappointed. It's not bad, just not necessarily good either. It's just sort of average in every way.

Recent Oscar winner Natalie Portman stars as Emma, a young woman who is really good at being alone. She's currently doing her residency in order to become a doctor so she has very little time to date. Plus, she doesn't really like relationships anyway. Enter Adam (Ashton Kutcher). The two originally meet at a summer camp when they are 14. Their lives intersect a few times before they decide to be friends with benefits (ironically the name of a movie with this exact same plot that will be out in a few months starring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake). They set a series of ground rules, such as no cuddling, no listing each other as an emergency contact, etc. If you have ever, ever, ever seen a romantic "comedy" in your entire life, then I'm sure you can see where this one is going. They fall in love! But Emma is such an emotional wreck, she completely messes it up! But, don't fret, they work things out and live happily ever after!

The cast is what makes this movie worth it. Portman is way better than she has to be in a lame romance movie. Kutcher is likeable and charming. The supporting cast is ridiculously talented (probably too talented to be in a movie like this). Mindy Kaling (the best thing about The Office), Chelsea Handler regular Guy Branum and Greta Gerwig star as Emma's fantastic best friends, friends who you'd like to have as your own. Olivia Thirlby (who I love to death) is Emma's sister, but is all but wasted in her role. Ludacris and Jake Johnson are Adam's best friends, the ones who actually get all two or three of the funny lines in the movie. Lake Bell is his neurotic co-worker who has a massive crush on him. Then there is Kevin Kline who stars as his fading movie star dad who has begun to date his ex-girlfriend Vanesa (Ophelia Lovibond).

The best part of the movie is probably the 30 second clip of a bluegrass band covering the song "99 Problems" by Jay-Z. More of that, please! The direction is fine and the script is ok as well. I mean, it's a well written, smart movie... it's just not funny at all. And when you are presenting your movie as a romantic COMEDY, it should probably be funny. Instead, No Strings Attached is just a cute cliche. Thank goodness the movie is rated R because at least it gets to be a little raunchy. If it was PG-13, it probably would have been nearly unwatchable. The movie is about casual, no strings attached sex and on that front, it works well. I think it presents the sitation as realistically as possible. So, all in all, the movie is cute and the characters are likeable. It's not a bad movie, just predictable in every single way. And it completely fails in what it sets out to do, which is be funny.

Grade: C