The premise of sex between friends without any emotional attachment is the current urban legend to be exploited by Hollywood, which means that maybe torture porn and paranormal activities will get a well-deserved break.
No Strings Attached, from director Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters), beats Friends With Benefits to the punch, but this Natalie Portman-Ashton Kutcher romantic comedy fails to connect the dots to create a meaningful picture of life and love in the new social network. The characters are paper-thin, the plot is utterly pointless (because, well, only a baby in the womb wouldn’t be able to predict what’s going to happen) and there are no sparks between Portman and Kutcher (who even thought these two would ever be friends?).
Unlike the best of the recent raunchy comedies, No Strings doesn’t even have cute, hip sidekicks that are able, through the force of will or personality, to steal scenes. Where, oh where, is Zach Galifianakis when you need him (or Kathryn Hahn)?
Why didn’t Judd Apatow swoop in and lend a hand here? His bromantic touch might have stitched things up enough to give us a satisfying happy ending. Grade: D
Opens Jan. 21. Check out theaters and show times, see the trailer and get theater details here.
