Movie Review: ‘No Strings Attached’

By Gabriel Stoffa
Ames247 writer

In the world today, the idea of being free to do as you please and still have someone to boink is not very uncommon. “No Strings Attached” plays off the idea and adds in the classic problem of what happens when you want more. This has been done over and over in movies, and the friends always end up getting together and life is good. So, I’m not really going to comment any further on the basic plot layout.

Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher play the randy couple, and do a fine job.

Kutcher is fun to watch if you find Kutcher to be a sort of funny guy. If you dislike Kutcher’s comedic delivery style, then you really won’t like a lot of the movie. Portman is just great to watch, and if you happened to see “Black Swan” recently, then you can really appreciate Portman’s talent for stepping into this simple role compared to her transformation into Nina in “Black Swan.”

There is some fair supporting cast work from Kevin Kline and Cary Elwes as well, but then I just like watching those actors.

The message of “men and women cannot just be friends” has almost been done to death in films, so I will applaud “No Strings Attached” for not making me space off when the message was addressed as the character change and grow — I was hung over when I saw it, and that is usually a factor that makes me space off even easier.

Really, there isn’t much to say about the movie. It has some raunchy sex jokes and situations, and it tries to have a message without forcefully shoving it down the audience’s throat. It is a fun way to spend a couple hours as a date flick or with some friends. It isn’t going to win any awards or show anything new. I wouldn’t advise rushing out to see it, but I wouldn’t feel bad telling people to hit up a matinee or catch it at a dollar theater. I could easily watch it again when it comes out on video, when I have nothing to do and want some light background noise.