Typical but this time the story isn't so bad

Rating: 7/10 (27 May 2011)

Ah, romantic comedies, hit or miss with me. But I tell you, it was Natalie Portman's year, like with most actresses coming up with an Oscar nod or win, they get the over exposure with romantic comedies around their performance of a lifetime. I was questioning if this looked like a good film or not, Ashton Kutcher is an alright leading man, definitely not in the same league as Natalie, but I was willing to give it a shot. No Strings Attached while does follow the same formula as most romantic comedies is actually better than most. I liked that for once the girl pushes away vs. the guy who is always insecure to get into a relationship, most girls in romantic comedies are portrayed as psycho stalkers who cannot live without their man, it's just insulting. Though predictable, the characters are likable and that's what makes this movie worth the watch.
Emma and Adam are two friends who keep bumping into each other after years apart from each other. Emma and Adam meet again through their mutual friend Patrice, when Emma is a resident in a local hospital and Adam is the assistant on a High School Musical like show, with aspirations of becoming a script writer. Adam becomes distraught when he learns that his eccentric father is having a relationship with Adam's ex-girlfriend. Determined, Adam starts calling every woman in his cell phone. The next day, he wakes up after a drunken night to find out that he text-messaged Emma and came to the home she shares with some other residents. Emma leads Adam to her bedroom to retrieve his pants, when the two of them wind up having sex. Because Emma does not believe in love Emma proposes that they have casual sex with each other, setting some ground rules for each other to prevent their relationship from becoming too serious. At first things go well, but then Adam starts becoming jealous of the possibility of Emma being with another doctor. Although denying that he is jealous, Adam starts presenting her with gifts. Then when he starts to take her advice and tries to move on, then she starts to get bit by the jealousy bug as well.
Like I said there are flaws, the ending does cop out a little bit I think and Ashton Kutcher's character is written a little too good to be true on the boyfriend level. But I have to admit these are very good looking people and if a guy had Natalie Portman I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to let her go like girls wouldn't let go of Ashton, so I might be wrong on that level. Also Natalie's character really didn't need the cliché friends that every romantic comedy has, I mean if you're a doctor, are you honestly going to have 5 roommates? I can understand one roommate, but 5? But that's real nit picking and obnoxious, so I'll let that go, because I have to say that this was an enjoyable movie. Who said I can't like romantic comedies? Well I did, but No Strings Attached held it's own and I would recommend this if you're looking for a cute movie for the night.
7/10