Actors Boost Quality of No Strings Attached
Remember when Anne Hathaway did Rachel Getting Married and everyone thought she was incredible? And then she did Bride Wars and everyone was thoroughly unimpressed, not only with her performance, but with her presence in such a terrible movie. Well, this is what I was anticipating when I walked into No Strings Attached.
Like many moviegoers, I was shocked and traumatized by Black Swan, in a good way. Natalie Portman was universally lauded for her emotionally wrenching performance. Yet, she decided to put out a generic date–night movie, which could only end badly. I was almost positive that I would leave the theater saying, “Why, Natalie, why?”
However, my respect for Portman remains intact. She manages to make her character Emma likable and realistic, despite the odds. Ashton Kutcher, playing the male lead, did not quite reach the same standard, but at least my gag reflex didn’t act up when he was onscreen. In general, the acting was good enough that I wasn’t ashamed to be watching the movie.
Strings follows your generic formula — two attractive people thrown into an awkward but sexual situation who inevitably fall in love. Emma is an emotionally withheld aspiring doctor, while Adam is the good–hearted son of a famous television star. Adam and Emma run into each other a couple times before deciding to become sex friends. This is Emma’s idea, because she doesn’t want to have to deal with the emotional and practical stress of a relationship. Adam, the well–adjusted one, falls in love first, so Emma grimly ends it. However, her family confronts her about her commitment phobia and she realizes that her emotional imperviousness isn’t necessary. After some minor misunderstandings, they finally make their declarations of love, or whatever. The film ties up neatly; it was kind of over at that point.
As boring as that sounds, there were some bonuses. There were some great side characters, particularly Emma’s roommates Shira and Patrice, played by Mindy Kaling (The Office) and Greta Gerwig (Greenburg). There were also some pretty funny scenes. Adam, who of course is inclined to be the perfect boyfriend, researches the menstrual cycle, and brings Emma cupcakes and a “period mix CD.” Surprisingly, this is about the limit of implausibility in this movie. Most romantic comedies have an excruciating tendency to add in ridiculous situations that make the actors look like fools and prompt groans. Strings, for the most part, reigns it in.
Portman was most definitely the best part of the movie. It’s not easy to make the cold, frigid brainiac role appealing, let alone original. However, Emma was the perfect character — you could identify with her, but you weren’t jealous. Most importantly, she wasn’t more annoying than a chihuahua in a be–dazzled sweater. Watching her get wasted was possibly cuter than internet pictures of wet kittens. The scene in which she guzzles doughnut holes while crying ran a close second. With another actress it would have produced eye–rolling, but Portman pulled it off.
Kutcher couldn’t quite carry his role — mainly because he’s too charming to play the guileless good guy. He got a bit too much screen time for his one–dimensional and not especially interesting character, but again, his performance wasn’t gag worthy. On the whole, I would say that watching it isn’t exactly a waste of time, but I wouldn’t recommend blowing the ten bucks to see it in theaters. Save your cash for Black Swan — only see Strings if, afterward, you can’t stop worrying whether or not Natalie Portman is okay.
Comments
Post new comment