Dir. Ivan Reitman, USA , 2011, 108 mins
Cast: Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Kevin Kline
Review by Carlie Newman
After receiving excellent reviews and awards for Black Swan , Natalie Portman is the star of a surprisingly different genre of film here. She plays Emma Kurtzman, who as an adult meets Adam Franklin (Kutcher) years after first encountering him at a summer camp at the age of 14. She turned him down as a teenager, but when they come together as young adults, she responds positively. They end up in bed, have extremely good sex and, because Emma has a self-professed allergy to relationships and Adam has sworn off them, they decide to just be sex-friends who have a series of one-off meetings without any emotional involvement. Emma and Adam explain to each other that this means no cuddles in bed, no shared breakfasts, no pet nicknames, in short, a “no strings attached” relationship.
The two get on really well together and reach the point where they have to decide whether it is possible for two friends to have sex without love getting in the way. The couple display real chemistry and for once the dialogue and situations that they find themselves in are adult. The stars are both very good-looking and convincing in their roles and both display a light comedic touch. Kline is also amusing as Adam’s lecherous, pot-smoking TV star father who is now dating Adam’s most recent ex-girlfriend. Kline has developed as an actor, and takes on this more mature character nicely, delivering his lines in a distinctly tongue in cheek manner. A surprise turn comes from Greta Gerwig who plays Emma’s playful and witty friend Patrice delightfully.
Director Ivan Reitman has fashioned a romantic comedy that works on both levels. It is an unusual type of romcom in that the characters start with sex and finish with romance, rather than the other way round. Although not an amazing experience, this is an enjoyable lightweight film and recommended as such.
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