No Strings attached
quotes brings absolutely nothing new to the romantic comedy genre. The
story is pretty much a cookie-cutter plot with some good
snappy one liners thrown in to bring in the much needed
laughter. This thinly stretched plot has
been done over so many times that any audience watching it will know it
off by heart. The only thing that saves it from total wasteland is the
chemistry of the lead actors and the strong supporting
cast. Overall, No Strings Attached is only recommended to the
most die-hard
fans of romantic comedies or if you just want to switch off
your brain and watch some eye candy on display.
Directed
by: Ivan Reitman
Written by:
Elizabeth Meriwether (screenplay)
Michael Samonek (story)
Elizabeth Meriwether (story) Starring: Natalie Portman
- Emma
Ashton Kutcher - Adam
Kevin Kline - Alvin
Cary Elwes - Dr. Metzner
Greta Gerwig - Patrice
Lake Bell - Lucy
Olivia Thirlby - Katie
Ludacris - Wallace
Jake M. Johnson - Eli
Mindy Kaling - Shira
Talia Balsam - Sandra Kurtzman
Ophelia Lovibond - Vanessa
Guy Branum - Guy
Ben Lawson - Sam
Jennifer Irwin - Megan
Adhir Kalyan - Kevin
Brian H. Dierker - Bones
Abby Elliott - Joy
Vedette Lim - Lisa Dylan Hayes
- Young Adam Stefanie Scott
- Young Emma Mollee Gray
- Sari Derek Ferguson
- Benji Matthew Moy
- Chuck Tyne Stecklein
- Victoria
[first lines; at a camp
party sitting alone together] Young Adam:
So, uh...I'm pretty good at archery. Young Emma:
Wow! That'll be useful if you ever have a time machine and your time
machine breaks and you're stuck in the Medieval Ages. Young Adam:
You're funny, it's weird. Young Emma:
Yeah. I'm weird. Young Adam:
Me too. Young Emma:
Yeah, right. Everyone loves you and your dad's like famous or something. Young Adam:
My parents are getting a divorce. That's why I had to go to camp, so. [Adam turns his face
away looking upset and starts to cry] Young Emma:
Are you crying? Young Adam:
No. [Emma sits closer to him
and puts her hand on his shoulder] Young Emma:
Look, I'm not really an affectionate person. People aren't meant to be
together forever. Young Adam:
You think so? Young Emma:
Yeah. Young Adam: Can
I finger you? Young Emma:
No.
[after
Emma arrives at a Frat party and recognizing Adam who's
dancing with a girl] Patrice: Oh,
my God! I told you that this was a pyjama party, what are you wearing [she unbuttons Emma's
coat and opens it and takes the coat off] Patrice: What
is this? You're wearing an actual Long John? What? This is a Frat
party, you just have to be drunk and look hot. Watch and learn. [she gets up onto a
table to get everyone's attention at the party and shouts] Patrice: Hey!
Heeeyy!
I'm so drunk! [everyone at the party
cheers]
Adam: Do I
know you? Emma: Hi,
Adam Franklin of Camp Weehawken. I'm Emma Kurtzman. You tried
to finger
me!
Adam: Woh!
Yeah! Wow! What are you...do you go here? What...what are you
doing at party of Frats? Emma: No, I
go to...I go to M.I.T but um...I have this family thing and I grew up
in Adam: M.I.T!
Wow! So you grew up to be a lot smarter than me. Emma: Yeah,
sometimes my neck gets sore. Adam: Why? Emma: Cause
my brain's so big.
Adam: I
like you. Emma: What?
Why? You don't even know me. Adam: I
like you. Emma: I
have to go to this stupid thing tomorrow, you wanna come with me? Adam: Uh...yeah,
sure. I'll come with you. What is it? Emma: Some
stupid thing.
[Emma
is at her father's funeral and Adam is standing awkwardly wearing a
bright yellow sweatshirt not realizing Emma had invited him to a
funeral] Emma: Mom,
I want you to meet Adam. [Adam hugs Emma's mom] Emma: And
this is my sister, Katie and her lover Kevin. Katie:
Boyfriend! And my best friend. Sandra Kurtzman:
Oh, well. Thank you. I...I didn't know you were dating someone Emma. Emma: Oh,
I'm not. I just had a one night stand with him when I was fourteen. Adam: It's
a really nice funeral.
[after the
funeral as Emma walks Adam back to his car] Emma: I'm
glad you stayed. Adam: Me
too. So I'll call you soon. Emma: Adam,
you're wonderful. If you're lucky you're never gonna see me again.
Eli: Hey! Patrice: Did
we? Yes, we did. We went to college together. You have two gay dads. Eli: Yeah,
I'm the man with the two gay dads. Patrice:
Yeah! They helped me move my boxes sophomore year. Eli: They're
the best. I love them. I'm super straight, though. So, yeah. Patrice:
Okay.
[Emma runs into Adam,
Eli and Adam's girlfriend Vanessa at an LA market] Emma: Adam. Adam: Emma. Eli: What
is this, the beach pit? And yeah, that was a 90210 reference. Patrice: Yeah,
you're super straight.
[catches Chuck taking a
picture of dick on his cell phone and showing it to some actresses who
walk away in disgust] Lucy: Chuck!
If I catch you taking pictures of your dick one more time I'm gonna
take that thing away.
[after catching his
father working out] Alvin: Hit
me. Adam: No.
I'm not gonna hit you. I don't want to hurt you. Alvin:
You're not gonna hurt me. Come on! Hit me. Give me your best shot. [he breathes in and
holds his stomach muscles] Alvin: Come
on, quick! Before I get a hernia! Adam: No! Alvin: You're
right. Let's smoke some weed.
[as he's preparing some
weed to smoke] Alvin: This
is really good stuff. My agent got me one of those medical marijuana
cards. Adam: It's
nice to see they're supporting your career. Alvin: Yeah.
[as they are smoking
weed in Alvin's kitchen] Alvin: So,
are you having sex? Adam: Yes.
I'm having sex. Alvin: Cause
if you want any pointers, you know, I can help you out. If it's one
thing you learn after two failed marriages, it's how to eat kitty.
Anyone special? Adam: No.
Not since Vanessa. Alvin: It's
been a year, it's time to move on. Adam: It's
been eight months, dad. What...what...what did you wanna talk to me
about anyway? Alvin: Uh... [Adam sees a small dog
coming into the kitchen] Adam: Are
you...you got a dog? Seriously, you guys... [suddenly Vanessa
wearing a bikini runs into the kitchen after the dog on seeing Vanessa
Adam chokes on his smoke] Vanessa: You
didn't tell him yet? [Alvin looks away] Vanessa: Damn!
[Vanessa runs out of the
kitchen]
[after Adam
has just
found out Vanessa is sleeping with his father] Adam: How
long? Alvin: Well... Adam: How
long? Alvin: Not
long. I...she needed a place to stay, because you know, her landlord is
such a d-bag. Christmas. I ran into her at a party, we got to talking,
about you mostly. [suddenly Adam punches
Alvin hard in the stomach and they both wince in pain] Adam: It
looks so soft! It's not!
Adam: You're
fucking my ex-girlfriend?! Alvin: Well,
yeah. But...I...she's just so hot. Adam: I
know how hot she is. [suddenly Vanessa comes
in through the door behind Adam] Alvin: That's
really sweet. Thanks, guys! Adam: Fuck
you!
Eli: Hey,
you know what the best part about my gay dads? Adam: What? Eli: They're
never gonna eat out my ex-girlfriends. Wallace:
That's true. [to Adam] Wallace: Hey,
I heard. You and your dad are tunnel buddies, huh? Eli: Wow!
Wallace! Wallace: She
chose your dad over you, man. That's like trading an iPod for A-Trak.
[to Adam] Eli: You
need to get even. Go have sex with one of his ex-girlfriends. Wallace: Hey,
you think when he's bustin' a nut, he's like 'Great Scott'! [Adam just looks at him] Wallace: No?
Adam: That's
it. I'm goin' for it. Eli: Going
for what? Adam: I'm
gonna call every girl in my phone until someone agrees to have sex with
me. Wallace: That's
strong. Toast to that. Eli: Toast.
That is a terrible self destructive plan and we're behind you a hundred
percent.
[after waking up naked
on a strange couch] Adam: Did
you have a good time last night? Shira: It
was alright, nothing special. Adam: Oh. I
want you to know that I respect you. Shira: Thank
you. Adam: Normally
I would remember the name of someone that I've... Shira: What?
Oh, my God! Did you think we had sex? Oh, my God! We did not have sex.
[Guy walks into the room
as Adam and Shira are talking with Adam still naked] Guy: Hey,
Adam. You left your socks in my room. Adam: Did I? Guy: You
did. Adam: Did I
by chance leave my pants in your room? Guy: No,
when we met you weren't wearing pants. [Patrice walks into the
room] Patrice: Stop
teasing him. You guys! Adam: Patrice! Patrice: Hey. Adam: Hey,
I know you. Patrice: Yeah.
Adam: What
happened last night? Did we...did we...? Patrice: We
had sex. Yeah. I really liked it. I didn't know that my body could
handle that much pain and that I would like it. [Emma walks into the
kitchen behind them] Emma: You're
up! Adam: Emma.
You live here? Emma: Yep.
You feeling any better? Adam: Uh...did
I have sex with anyone on this apartment last night? Emma: No,
you didn't. Patrice: Oh,
sorry. Emma: You
didn't [Patric, Shira and Guy
laugh] Adam: Thank
you. Yeah, that's...that's...this is...that's funny. Let's...let's make
fun of the hung over naked guy. Emma: But
um...I do have your pants, so if you want them come with me. Adam: Yes,
thank you.
[Adam goes to
get off the couch and get his pants from Emma's room but is embarrassed
by his nakedness] Patrice: Oh,
you don't have to get embarrassed because we're all doctors. So we see
literally hundreds of penises a week. Guy: I see
thousands. Shira: I
just pulled a penis out of a Vitamin Water yesterday, so we are cool
with penises here. Emma: Okay. Patrice: We're
professionals. Adam: Well,
it has been a pleasure. [Adam gets up and they
all stare at his ass and clap as he walks towards
Emma's room] Patrice: Bravo. Guy: Nice. Patrice: Bravo.
Bravo. Guy: Yep.
I'm definitely gay.
Adam:
So how did I get here? Emma: Um...you
texted me that it was an emergency and I texted you my address and then
you came over. And um...I think you thought you were at home because
you started taking off all your clothes. Adam: Oh,
God! Emma: Here
are your pants.
Adam: So
did I just pass out on your couch? Emma: No.
No, then you did this thing. It was like a dance. Adam: Dance? Emma: Yeah.
Like... [she moves her hand up
and down motion] Adam: I
shook my dick at you? Emma: Yeah. Adam: Oh,
shit! I'm sorry. Emma: No.
No. It was...it was exciting. It was like, you were cheering while you
were doing it. You were like, 'Wooh, look at my dick!' Adam: Did
you look at it? Emma: Yeah,
I looked. It was nice. You have a really nice penis. Adam: Nice? Emma: It
seems kind of like carefree. Adam: Yeah? Emma: Yeah.
Adam: Jesus!
I don't know where to start. My dad's...my dad's dating my
ex-girlfriend. Emma: You
told me about it last night. Adam: Did I
tell you like a charming way? Was I like, charming and funny when I
told you? Emma: Yeah.
You were...naked and crying. Adam: Yeah.
I'm a mess. [she sits down next to
Adam on the bed and puts her arm round his shoulder] Emma: Hey,
it's gonna be okay. Adam: Thanks.
Seriously, thank you. Emma: I
should probably get ready now. I don't want to be late. Adam: Yeah.
It's...you don't wanna be late. [he unties her robe] Emma: No,
that would be bad. [they look at each other
for a moment and then start kissing]
[after Adam sees meets
Emma and her work colleague, Sam, at the bistro he and Eli are having
lunch at] Eli: You
piece of shit. Adam: What? Eli: What?
Let me ask you, did you have sex with Emma? Adam: No. Eli: Did
you have sex with Emma? Adam: Yes.
I'm not supposed to tell anyone. Eli: Yes!
Wow! [they high five each
other]
Adam: I
called her but she didn't call me back. She sent me a text. Eli: Alright,
well what did she text you. Adam: 'Hi.' Eli: Just
'Hi'? Adam: 'Hi'! Eli: With
nothing else? Just H-I? Adam: I
don't know, what do I...what do I do with that? I don't know. Eli: That's
not good. You just gotta walk away, pal. It's over. Adam: Shit! Eli: She's
not into it.
[as they watch Emma walk
out of the Bistro and get into Sam's car] Adam: You
really think she's just using him for his car? Eli: Uh...no,
Adam, I don't. I think he wants to fuck her in his Prius. And
the thing about fucking in a Prius is that you don't have to feel
guilty afterwards. Adam: Because
it's a carbon footprint. Eli: Yeah.
[Adam shows up at Emma's
hospital with a balloon] Emma: What
are you doing here? Adam: You
didn't call me back. So I thought I'd come here. [referring to the
balloon] Adam: Oh,
it's for you. Emma:
Congrats? For what, having sex with you? Adam: Yeah.
You did a good job, so I...I thought you deserved a balloon.
Emma: I'm
working. Adam: Okay.
So what's up with not calling me back? Emma: I'm
not good at this stuff. Adam: At
what, talking? Emma: Yeah.
Talking, communicating, relationship stuff. That's just...this is...if
we were in a relationship I'd become a weird scary version of myself
and my throat starts constricting, the walls start
throbbing. It's like a peanut allergy, like an emotional peanut allergy. Adam: Well,
I can't date you either. Cause you're not my dad's type, so.