"Kutcher and Portman have an undeniable chemistry. They seem to really enjoy one another. I had wondered if Kutcher would drag Portman down to his vulgar level, or whether Portman would give him some class, but instead they both meet on some new, comfortable level. The actors have carte blanche in terms of language and sex, and they're clearly enjoying their freedom." Jeffrey M Anderson COMBUSTABLE CELLULOID "The main appeal of this amiable romantic comedy is the unexpectedly appealing pairing of the diminutive Natalie Portman and the exceedingly tall Ashton Kutcher. Emma and Adam’s housemates are a lively bunch (a good supporting cast) and the interaction between all these characters give the film several layers that work in its favour. As a date movie, No Strings will probably get the thumbs up." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "This isn't an instant classic in the genre, but it's easily one of the funnier ones to come in the past couple years. Portman is radiantly awesome throughout the film, but, in a big surprise for me, she isn't the only reason to go see No Strings Attached." Matthew Razak FLIXIST "Looking very unlike the sinewy ingenue of Black Swan, Natalie Portman hooks up with a typically energetic Ashton Kutcher for a rom-com that spices up its formulaic appeal: let's face it; formulas work for a reason, with considerable sexual bite. The predictable narrative motions are worked through with a sincerity and good humour that makes the film impossible not to warm to. Veteran director Ivan Reitman keeps the pace brisk and the performances fresh." Jim Schembri THE AGE "The on-screen lovers in question: and the actors portraying them; have a heck of a lot of chemistry, not only with each other but with an ensemble of sparklingly written and well-cast supporting players. Side parts in this type of movie are usually throwaways. Here, those typically thankless roles are enlivened by sharp writing and performers who realize there are no small parts, only small actors. One after the other, they blow in and, without seeming to even try, threaten to steal the show." Dustin Putman DUSTIN PUTMAN.COM

"This guilty pleasure starts 2011 off with an ecstatic bang. Portman and Kutcher have a sizzling hot chemistry. The movie takes some unexpected turns to arrive at a predictable destination. It is filled with indelibly cute moments & winning dialogue that is hilariously raunchy. Portman shows her versatility in this romantic comedy. Kutcher uses his physicality to generate laughs. The supporting characters do their part in insuring an entertaining good time." Keith Cohen ENTERTAINMENT SPECTRUM "Portman shows Heigl, Bell and Aniston what it takes to be a rom-com queen in No Strings Attached. Portman may have a date with Oscar next month thanks to her blistering turn in "Black Swan", but "No Strings Attached" reminds us she can still bring the funny. Kutcher may be a full foot taller than Portman, but they’re comfortable in and out of the bedroom. Better yet, they convey the kind of sexually ravenous desire the story requires." Christian Toto WHAT WOULD TOTO WATCH "Sometimes it's just enjoyable to watch a movie where all the characters are nice; to spend ninety minutes with a bunch of people who are smart, funny, amiable and kind to one another. Ashton Kutcher, believe it or not, is genuinely charming and likable as the big-hearted Adam.Natalie Portman is genuinely appealing here, and is quite clearly having a lot of fun." Simon Miraudo QUIKFLIX "No Strings Attached is a better movie than its title, trailer and Kutcherness suggest. Add some zany sidekicks, quickies in closets, emotional zig-zags and heaping helpings of MTV production quality, and you get a better than expected date night. There’s more than a hint of ‘80s comic irreverence here." Mike Ward RICHMOND.COM "Romantic comedy puts new spin on date-movie traditions. Brightly written by young Elizabeth Meriwether (who gets the new, text ’n’ sex culture absolutely right) and directed with some flair by Canadian comedy patriarch Ivan Reitman, "No Strings Attached" is the first fun date movie of the year. The first fun movie, actually. And, by the way, stick around for the final credits. Reitman has a few good jokes saved up for them. The director still has a few good comedies left in his big bag of tricks." Stephen Whitty NEWARK STAR-LEDGER

The Inside Story When the notion of exploring an of-the-moment, spicey story that turns the romantic comedy formula on its head landed on Ivan Reitman’s desk, it didn’t take long for the 2010 Oscar® nominated Best Motion Picture of the Year verteran filmmaker to see the cinematic potential in the premise. "I had been working with Elizabeth Meriwether for about three years, and every evolution of the script gave me something that I really responded to." And that was? "Here is a story about characters, about people dealing with a very contemporary dilemma. Interesting people, very funny people, speaking frankly about love and sex. And I just fell in love with it." "I was really into the idea of a love story that started with a kiss instead of ending with one. That’s what happens in real life sometimes and as someone who loves romantic comedies, I wanted to write one that felt modern," Meriwether explained. "I think the compelling idea here is the concept that contemporary young adults have a much easier time having immediate sex with a partner than having a romantic relationship: a true emotional involvement with someone," says Reitman. "That’s what interested me a little over twenty years ago, "When Harry Met Sally" asked the question whether a man and a woman could be friends without sex getting in the way." So, what has changed since then? Reitman thinks the question today is: "Is it possible for a man and woman to have a purely sexual relationship without emotions getting in the way?" An emerging playwright in New York, Meriwether seemed like the perfect voice for her generation, one that is smart, savvy and technologically engaged. Montecito Pictures producer Jeffrey Clifford ("I Love You, Man") took the initial meeting with Meriwether. "After our first meeting and getting the sign-off from Ivan, Elizabeth went away and came back with a script. It was her writing from her heart and experience, and when the script came in, it was one of those rare times where you know immediately it’s going to be a movie. Liz has a unique voice, and the script crackles and has a sense of humor that is subversive and completely distinct. "Reitman, who, with Clifford, had just come off of producing the multi-award winning "Up in the Air" with his son, filmmaker Jason Reitman, revealed the simple reason why he wanted to return to directing: "I got inspired. I loved the work Jason did as the writer/director of "Up in the Air" and it reminded me how much I love telling stories: creating movies with good ideas; ones that are all about character and performance. I had mostly been doing bigger films with lots of special effects, and basically, I got jealous. And as Liz’s script was evolving." The premise of "No Strings Attached" felt like an opportunity to explore an idea that (on paper, at least) seems like a logical and perhaps even an ideal arrangement. "This movie is a bit of wish fulfillment for me: the idea that you could sit down and agree that you’re only going to have a physical relationship and if anything else develops; you can abandon ship," Meriwether says. 'NSA'lead female character, Emma, doesn’t really want anything to get in her way: especially not romance. She's not into relationships, avoiding them like the plague. As a doctor in-residence who often works eighty hour weeks with back to back shifts, Emma values honesty and efficiency. She also likes to have sex. "Emma is not a girly girl and wants to approach life very logically," Meriwether notes. "She just wants to have fun and doesn’t want to put any pressure on a relationship, because that’s when people can turn into 'weird versions' of themselves." For Emma, a sex-buddy is the perfect solution. In other words: sex with no strings attached. The films lead male character, Adam, is a man who has always had an easy time with women and adopts a carefree approach to life. The son of an ex-television star a bit past his prime, Adam has an ease with women and is no stranger to hooking up. After his latest relationship with girlfriend Vanessa breaks up, he is confounded to find her hanging around, but now with a new boyfriend at her side. After a spontaneous hook up one morning that takes both Emma and Adam by surprise, the two agree to explore the idea of a 'no strings attached' relationship. They agree to use each other strictly for sex and remain friends without any of the other complications that usually accompany a relationship. When asked if he undertook any research for the film, Reitman ("Ghostbusters I & II") laughed and then replied: "Well, I was fortunate in that Liz Meriwether, who’s still in her twenties, was smack in the middle of the technological and generational moment. As both a participant and an observer, she has a very keen eye and ear for the little rituals of contemporary dating." Pressed, he did admit to sometimes taking his ‘research’ home with him. "Look, I have three children all in their twenties, who are or have been going through this experience. I’d like to think of myself as an observer and a watcher as well. I think all of that helped to contribute to the sense of familiarity and reality that is represented in the film." When it came to finding the right actress for the role of the intellectual and emotionally unavailable Emma, the filmmakers stuck gold when 2005 Oscar® nominated actress Natalie Portman ("Closer") signed on. Key to Portman was the intelligence of the script, and she applauded the notion of a romantic comedy that wasn’t dumbed down. "I feel like romantic comedies are often about the girl who has a job at a magazine or in fashion getting a makeover, but this movie is about people that we all know." In addition to the untraditional premise of the script, Portman ("Garden State") appreciated Meriwether’s character development and her depiction of women. "Liz has a real ear for characters. Each character truly has its own voice. She allows women to be hilarious, interesting and have full ideas, along with the men." Portman stayed in the loop during the scripts development phase, which helped Meriwether flesh out the character while keeping Natalie in mind. She was excited by the notion of writing a comedic character that audiences had never seen Portman inhabit. "We haven’t seen Natalie have as much fun as I think she has had in this role. Throughout her amazing career, we’ve seen her rule empires and shoot laser guns and run around in the subways as a revolutionary, among other things, so I’ve loved making her do silly things. It’s fun to see her be a bit silly and bad." Reitman found his Adam in comedic actor Ashton Kutcher, who had the perfect combination of leading man looks and charm (along with a slight underdog sense of vulnerability) that the role required. Echoing Natalie Portman's reaction to the script, Kutcher ("The Black Dahlia") says, "Liz delivered a screenplay that was authentic, but also ridiculously funny. Most of the time when you read a comedy script, at some point, it’s going to push for the comedy: but Liz’s never reaches for a joke. It’s really a character comedy, and not a generic 'hijinx-y' type of film." For Meriwether, having Kutcher play Adam was the perfect choice. "Ashton brings a 'full of love and life' openness to the role that perfectly contrasts Emma’s emotional journey, to get her to a place where she will want to open up. You believe it, because if anyone can get your heart to open, it’s Ashton Kutcher." "Ashton is really fun, easygoing and playful, and it’s great to get to see how he improvises and plays in the scene," says Portman who played Leslie in the 2007, Kar Wai Wong film, "My Blueberry Nights". One of the biggest influences and shapers of Adam’s life, particularly his ideas on self-worth and relationships, is Adam’s father, Alvin. An aging television sitcom star, Alvin has a larger than life persona, and he seeks to be more wingman and friend than supportive parent. "Alvin is a dad who doesn’t know how to parent and instead, wants to be something more like a best friend to his son," Kutcher observes. "Being Alvin’s son is what wholly defines Adam’s position in the world, and now, what he is striving for is to get out from under the shadow of his father and to be his own person." Two time Tony® Award winning actor for "On the Twentieth Century" (1978) and "The Pirates of Penzance" (1981) Kevin Kline, whose leading man mix of flash and intelligence contributed to memorable characters in innumerable films and theatrical productions, came onboard to lend his talents. Having previously collaborated with the filmmaker, Reitman knew 1989 Oscar® winner Kline ("A Fish Called Wanda") would inhabit the role like no other actor could. Kline said he was delighted at the prospect of working with Reitman again, as he was confident in Reitman’s penchant for authenticity: "Ivan sent me the script and then we had essentially the same conversation we had twenty years earlier about the tone he wanted for "Dave". I love that Ivan always looks for realism in the performance of comedy, no matter how outrageous the premise or situation, rather than settling for conventional gags or schtick." How does he see his character? "I would have to say that the character, without putting too fine a point on it, is a narcissist of the first order." Not the best father, Alvin does love his son, but can’t always see past himself to make the right choices. "Alvin is a dad who doesn’t necessarily know how to parent, but wants to be his son’s best friend," Kutcher argues. "He’s the 'best friend dad', so that sets up a wonderful dynamic." With the leads in place, Reitman set out to put together an ensemble cast that incorporated some of the best and brightest in the world of character comedy. The colorful surrounding cast of "No Strings Attached" indeed includes a group of well-etched characters brought to life by an ensemble of adept comic performers. Lake Bell plays the quirky and smart associate producer Lucy, who works with Adam on the teen musical series "Secret High" and harbors a not very secret crush on her colleague. Olivia Thirlby was thrilled to play Katie, Emma’s sister, a strong optimist who believes in the power of love, and serves as a direct contrast to Emma’s naysaying on the subject. Greta Gerwig plays fellow resident and best friend to Emma, Patrice. Armed with a sardonic wit and streak of cynicism, Patrice sometimes acts the role of Jiminy Cricket to her best friend and roommate, providing a necessary voice of reason (even when it sounds strikingly similar to Emma’s own opinion). Jake Johnson takes a mirror role as Eli, Adam’s best friend and confidante, who does not hesitate to dispense endless advice, even if it’s ridiculous or baseless. Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges plays Wallace, a bartender who considers it part of his job to validate Eli’s opinions. Adding spice to the mix are Mindy Kaling as Shira, fellow resident and roommate of Emma and Patrice, and Ben Lawson as Sam, a hunky and egotistical suitor of Emma’s. "Every single character is cast perfectly and every single person who came in really nailed it," three time Teen Choice Award winner (2006, '08 & 10) Kutcher says. What It's All About

When 14 year old Emma turned down the awkward, teenage advances of Adam outside of the Big Lodge at Camp Weehawken, neither one of them had any clue about real, adult sex. But quite the opposite is true when, years later, Emma and Adamcross paths: as they seem to have done randomly throughout their lives; and wind up in bed having sex. Really good sex. And since Emma has a self-professed 'peanut allergy to relationships', just as Adam has sworn them off: mostly because Adam’s once-famous television star dad is now dating his most recent ex-girlfriend; they decide to forego the accompanying emotional muddle of a relationship and just be friends with benefits. Hook up without hang-ups, boffing without botherand yes, coitus without cost. No commitment, no lying, no jealousy, no clothed spooning, no emotions, no shared breakfast, no strings attached. Until Adam, inadvertently brings his feelings to bed. The big question they face is: can two friends have sex without love getting in the way?

The Verdict "Guys! Don't write this off as just one more in a long line of 'chick flicks'. Sure it's aimed at that market segment, but this one 'chick flick' you won't regret taking in. That's because the comedic moments aren't aimed soley at female cinemagoers. Recently knocked-up and engaged 2011 Oscar® nominee Natalie Portman teams up with 'Mr take him or leave him', Ashton Kutcher, for the lead roles in "No Strings Attached": a wicked mix of sex, romance and comedy that will, I have to admit, surprise audiences. No, make that shock audiences, because these two (believe it or not), produce massive chemistry. OK, so I'm a softy for a romantic comedy. Sure, but I'm a big sucker for any rom/com, that can weave into its storyline, this much sex, without coming over as filth. The balance of outrageous comedic and sensitive romantic moments is what makes "No Strings Attached" a film both sexes will probably want to see a second time. Into the mix you can throw a supporting cast who all make solid contributions on multiple levels. Guys take note: "No Strings Attached" is guaranteed to put a smile on her face and an even bigger one on yours when you get her home. Unless your date flick chick happens to be your mum! Recommended to romantics who have a broad sense of humour. 4 STARS." Who's Playing Who?

Natalie Portman Stefanie Scott Ashton Kutcher Dylan Hayes Kevin Kline Cary Elwes Greta Gerwig Lake Bell Olivia Thirlby Chris Bridges Jake Johnson Mindy Kaling Talia Balsam Ophelia Lovibond Guy Branum Ben Lawson Jennifer Irwin Adhir Kalyan Brian Dierker Abby Elliott Vedette Lim

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Emma Young Emma Adam Young Adam Alvin Dr Metzner Patrice Lucy Katie Wallace Eli Shira Sandra Kurtzman Vanessa Guy Sam Megan Kevin BBones Joy Lisa

The Crew Directed by Ivan Reitman Produced by Jeffrey Clifford/Joe Medjuck/Ivan Reitman Story by Mike Samonek and Elizabeth Meriwether Screenplay by Elizabeth Meriwether Original Music by John Debney Director of Photography Rogier Stoffers Film Editing by Dana E. Glauberman Casting by Joanna Colbert & Richard Mento Production Design by Ida Random Art Direction by Greg Berry Set Decoration by Danielle Berman Costume Design by Julie Weiss Run Time 108 minutes Rated MA15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2011 - VRS FILMS - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2011 - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved. Protected by Australian & International Copyright, Trademark Laws & Intellectual Property Rights.