Natalie Portman, already up for an Oscar for her most recent film "The Black Swan," stars alongside Ashton Kutcher in this lighthearted romantic comedy.
Emma (Portman) is a doctor/workaholic who is driven by her independent attitude and the need to be strong and emotionally detached. Adam (Kutcher) is an aspiring screenwriter with a famous good-for-nothing father who lives life on a whim and a smile, depending on his good heart to guide him through the rough patches in life. Life leads the two to numerous run-ins until an emotional plug is pulled in Adam's life. His father is dating his ex-girlfriend, or as his friend likes to put it, they are now "tunnel buddies." Adam, both disgusted and depressed, decides to call every girl on his phone list until one agrees to sleep with him. And so he begins, drinking his way into oblivion and a sad state of affairs. It isn't until the following morning, after sleeping off his emotional breakdown and hangover that he finds himself in Emma's apartment surrounded by her housemates. The comic relief comes in his confusion as to whom he slept with, mounting as their gay housemate stumbles into the kitchen. It is in his search for his pants that he and Emma end up in her room together. He questions the previous night's events and she informs him that he danced naked for her, imitating his choreography hilariously.
One thing leads to another and so begins their relationship as "friends with benefits." The rules? No emotional attachment, no fighting, no expectations, no jealousy, and most importantly, no falling in love. They can call each other at all hours of the day for sex and only sex.
Emma, already emotionally attached and afraid of feeling anything for anyone, is more than satisfied with the arrangement. But, of course, Adam, someone already too much in touch with his emotional side, isn't. On the side he's struggling with his father's continued relationship with his ex-girlfriend, attempting to have his writing taken seriously, and trying to keep his feelings at bay.
The combination leads to his ultimate dependence on Emma for support and comfort, going as far as to list her as an emergency contact when she specifically told him to not. The breaking point occurs after Emma discovers the two spooning with their clothes on. She declares that they need to take a break from one another, much to the annoyance of Adam, who can't understand why she only wants to push him away. A drunken episode of jealousy and name-calling follows and the two are happily reunited for their friends with benefits relationship.
Adam then decides to break the rules and asks Emma to go on one date with him. She begrudgingly agrees. What follows is a hilarious chain of events including a confession of love, twenty straws in a chocolate milkshake, a bouquet of carrots, and a round of angry punches by the smaller of the two.
This movie, though cliché in its predictable ending, is refreshing because of its edgy comic relief and supporting cast, including Kevin Kline, Greta Gerwig, and Cary Elwes. What starts off as a purely physical relationship is bound to turn into something more, the only question is when it will happen and who will fall first. The laughter lies in their steadfast resistance to being the first to feel something for the other, driving both to ridiculous means and a singular phone call that will either make or break their relationship. Natalie Portman delivers in her performance and both she and Ashton Kutcher have great chemistry that allows the circumstances to become believable.
The movie, directed by Ivan Reitman, rose in the charts, bringing in an average of $20.3 million in the first few weeks. The brilliance of the movie lies within the idea that in the end, true love conquers all, even a list of rules that disallows love from existing.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate this movie an 8.
Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher star in this romantic comedy, full of fun, and crazy surprises.
