No Strings Attached [2011]

As we know by now, this film wound up not being Natalie Portman’s Norbit. Just wasn’t bad enough. It’s actually a pretty enjoyable sex romp, classed-up by the presence of the talented and gorgeous Portman. No Strings Attached parts from a rather interesting premise that will be further explored in July’s Friends with Benefits starring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake. The corniness is surprisingly controlled, but the balance between the raunchy jokes and the romance is a little off. And, with the exception of rapper Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, some of the crass one-liners don’t fit the cast’s personae. The cast, on the other hand, is delightful: Natalie Portman shows comedic talent, looking stunning in the process and, despite possessing a very, very limited acting range, Ashton Kutcher is eminently likeable. Supporting players like Bridges, Greta Gerwig, Abby Elliott, Lake Bell, Jake Johnson and Ophelia Lovibond  enliven the film when it starts to lose steam after the first hour. Funniest scene in the movie is a sequence that involves three roommates (Portman, Gerwig, Mindy Kaling) sharing menstrual cycles and Adam (Kutcher) taking care of them.