Ed's Review Dot Com

Cold Spring Pictures, DW Studios, Handsomecharlie Films

Natalie Portman, Justin Kutcher, Kevin Kline, Cary Elwes, Greta Gerwig, Lake Bell, Olivia Thirlby, Jake M. Johnson, Mindy Kaling, Ophelia Lovibond

Emma (Portman) is a doctor and a loner. Her Mom and Sister worry about her because she’s all alone. Adam (Kutcher) is the son of a famous actor who works in production of a teen high school musical type TV show. He’s having a bad streak after losing at love so many times, but he and his roommates keep trying. In a series of serendipity experiences, Adam and Emma bump into each other but never connect. Now Emma just moved to LA and the meet. Neither is involved, so they setup a deal where they are friends with benefits. But the deal is that if either feels anything more for each other they will quit. They’re keeping it strictly physical. Of course that’s never going to work out, and no matter the promises of no fighting, no jealousy, and no caring about it each other, both of them start to feel for each other. Really Adams wants to get closer, but Emma is scared to get close to anyone. But as her sister’s wedding comes up, the whole house of cards comes falling down.

Of course this is not anything new, but it is not nearly as bad as all the critics would have you believe. Portman isn’t so bad as the girl who is afraid of feeling anything. Kutcher is just Kutcher, so you get what you get, but some of the side characters are really funny. The whole back story with Adam and his Dad (Kevin Kline) is pretty funny and though he’s not a big part of the story, he manages to steal several scenes. Ludicrous is one of the gang of friends Kutcher hangs around with, but the whole bunch of them are pretty funny. By the time the ending rolls around, you know what’s going to happen, but it’s pretty decently played, so it’s not boring, at least. There are parts that are pretty racy, so this thing has earned it’s R rating for sure, and some of the language is pretty descriptive! Also there’s a pretty close inspection of Mr. Kutcher’s posterior. So it’s a bit raunchy and worth a few pretty good laughs, so if this is the thing you like, don’t let the professional reviewers scare you away. It’s not brainy, but it worth a shot.

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