No Strings Attached (2010)

Finally! A funny and smart date movie that Jack and I can whole-heartedly recommend. Lots of laughs, snappy dialog, gorgeous stars, beautiful locations, love, and sex, as a couple tries to have a purely carnal relationship with no emotional involvement (its working title was F*** Buddies, but the only nudity is Ashton Kutcher's rear end, except, as Jack guessed, he had a butt double. For the record, I am disappointed!). I had forgotten Ivan Reitman was the director until I saw his face, playing the director (uncredited) on the TV-show-within-the-movie, a Glee-type musical. Reitman has the chops to execute a comedy (my favorites: Ghostbusters I and II (1984, 1989, and III is in the works for 2012), Legal Eagles (1986), and Dave (1993)), and, unlike some of the others we've seen lately, doesn't kill it in the process. Written by Elizabeth Meriwether (her feature debut and she apparently has a cameo as a writer on the aforementioned TV show, but it's an in-joke, as nobody outside the production knows what she looks like--her photo isn't even on imdb--wait, I found one) from a story by her and Mike Samonek, it's a joy from beginning to end. My only quibble is the kids cast as the young Adam and Emma (Kutcher and Natalie Portman) don't look anything like the stars. We quickly forgive them for that as we move into the present day and their paths cross again and again. The oh-so-handsome Kutcher (I didn't see Dude, Where's My Car (2000), but watched every episode of That 70's Show) can carry all the scenes he's in whether Adam is clowning around, hung over, unhappy, or angry. We already know Portman can do neurosis (see Black Swan, really, see it!), and in this one her neurosis is cute, plus I liked that both characters have a strong sense of their own boundaries. Top notch supporting cast--Kevin Kline as Adam's father, Greta Gerwig (Greenberg) and Mindy Kaling (the Indian girl on The Office) as Emma's roommates, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges (rap artist, acted in Crash (2004), Hustle & Flow (2005), others) as Adam's friend, Olivia Thirlby (Juno (2007), The Wackness, A Solitary Man) as Emma's sister, among many--bring even more to the screen.

Plenty of good songs (here are some tracks and the most complete list), and those locations--Adam's mid-century house in the hills, the Santa Barbara Biltmore, the farmer's market next to the water with a view of Disney Hall in L.A., that vintage BMW (I wish I still had a car with that giant rear windshield)--you name it, it's stunning. Be careful when searching for this on imdb. There are nine other movies with this title from 1997-2003. Number one at the box office last week, this one has not been embraced by critics, who are giving it a 50% on rottentomatoes, as opposed to the audience's 72% (the tomatometer registers fresh at 60% and above, and rotten below that). I don't care. You know that. I'm just happy we saw something we enjoyed.