Film reviews
Men In Black 3
It’s not a sequel that needed to be made, but thanks to the charm of its leads and a tone that harks back to the wit and humour of the original, it’s a pretty enjoyable trip.
Bel Ami
The excellent female support cast saves this patchy effort, which is let down by its leading man and a flat screenplay.
The Dictator
A disappointing, often repulsive and mean-spirited mess of a film with seemingly only one real criterion on its agenda: to shock and offend.
The Woman In Black
Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.
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No Strings Attached (Film)
Rating: MA
Running Time: 108
Country: USA
Director: Ivan Reitman
Cast: Ashton Kutcher, Natalie Portman
Distributor: Paramount
Release Date: February 10, 2011
Film Worth: $14.50
FILMINK rates movies out of $20 - the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worthA cut above the average rom-com thanks to the sharp writing, the real spark between the two leads and a handful of surprisingly heartfelt moments.
Fresh off an Oscar nomination for her acclaimed performance in Black Swan, Natalie Portman has gone to the other end of the filmic spectrum with No Strings Attached. Joining her and treading more familiar territory in his career, Ashton Kutcher is the romantic interest but surprisingly there is a real chemistry between the pair.
Adam (Kutcher) and Emmaa (Portman) have known each other for a long time, having had chance, but brief encounters over the years, but were never more than friends. When Adam finds out that his druggy father (Kevin Kline) is dating his ex-girlfriend, he drunkenly calls up every girl in his phonebook and ends up naked and hungover in Emmaa's apartment. This kicks off an arrangement between them to remain "friends with benefits" with strict rules to avoid becoming anything more.
No Strings Attached has all the elements of a stock standard will-they-or-won't-they comedy, but stands a cut about the rest due to the great cast, sharp writing, and the refreshing swap of traditional rom-com gender roles. Best of all, the film delivers the romance and comedy in equal measures, providing many more tender, heartfelt moments than the premise may suggest. It appears everyone involved has given their best, even the bit players who get some of the best lines and laughs.
The film could have been fifteen minutes shorter and Portman often acts the pants off Kutcher, literally, and while it never truly rises above its genre constraints, at least it delivers on what it promises. If you can shrug off the clichés like the token black friend or the soppy finale, there's plenty of wit and charm to be found with No Strings Attached, even if its appeal might not stay until breakfast.
