Determined to have some revenge sex, Adam calls up every woman on his cell phone
2010 was a pretty rough year for romantic comedies. Seems like we got bombarded again from Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and twice from Katherine Heigl. Well it’s 2011 , maybe the old rom-com can spring back to life with an injection of some fresh blood. Perhaps a vet of classic screen comedies, Ivan Reitman, can give the genre a new spin. And how about a different rom- com leading lady, somebody best known for dramas and big sci-fi actioners? Why it’s current critical darling Natalie Portman. The result of adding these two into the mix with rom-com staple Ashton Kutcher is NO STRINGS ATTACHED.
Gerwig ( GREENBERG ) and Johnson ( PAPER HEART ) do all they can as the best pals who show how a real relationship blossoms
A cute flashback sequence ( 15 years ago ) opens up the film as twelve year old Adam and Emma meet at summer camp. The characters are set up quickly as brainy Emma rebuffs Adam’s crude advances ( EEyyooouuww! ). Ten years later they meet again at a college frat pajama party thanks to their pals Patrice ( Greta Gerwig ) and Eli ( Jake Johnson ). After some flirting Emma ( Portman ) asks Adam ( Kutcher ) if he’ll accompany her to some “stupid thing” the next day. Turns out it’s her Dad’s funeral ( !! ) and Adam stands out amongst the mourners in his bright yellow Michigan hoodie. Afterwards he asks for another date and is rebuffed again. Cut to a year ago- Eli ( with Adam and his girlfriend Vanessa ) spots Patrice and Emma at an outdoor fair. Emma gives Adam her number while the others chat away. And now we cut again to the present day- Adam is a production assistant on a Glee/ High School Musical-type TV show. Still nursing his wounds after being dumped by Vanessa, he goes to visit his father, a former sitcom TV star played by Kevin Kline. There he discovers that his father has shacked up with Vanessa! More