8/10 C.E
I enjoyed this movie so much I seriously wanted to put 10/10 on the critical eye meter. However in good conscience I couldn't knowing that the reason I created the critical eye meter was to actually critic the movie. Anyway as I said the movie is thoroughly enjoyable, was incredibly funny and sweet. If you leave the theater without butterflies in your belly and sore cheeks from laughing I for one would be surprised. It did a great job of doing what it set out to do- be a light hearted romantic comedy. Because it accomplishes this so well I do not believe it to be reasonable to lower it's C.E. score too much for the flaws it has as described later on. Whenever a movie does exactly what it sets out to do and hits it's target audience dead on it shouldn't be punished at least in my book.
It is obvious from the get go that the movie is about a light and as it points out unlikely topic being able to just be sex buddies (or any of the other names they call themselves throughout the movie.) It should be pointed out that it is clear that Emma and Adam aren't really long time friends or even really friends considering the past sexual tension. Rather they decide to label themselves as friends instead of being friends for a while and then changing the nature of their relationship into a sexual one as the trailer suggest. So there is no going from the friend zone to the love/sex zone as we see often in movies such as Just Friends.
It is also obvious that the movie forgoes some character and plot development for more laughs. We never really find out all of the character's background or get a sense of why they are the way they are. We also often get either weak friend to friend relationship dynamic out of Portman and Gerwig. This is very unlike the male trio of Ludacris, Kutcher and Johnson who of course spout absurd bro code advice but with obvious comradeship established. Even in the dynamic between Emma (Portman) and Shira (Kaling) we see some sort of concern from Shira for Emma. Just seemed that Patrice (Gerwig) was far too caught up in herself/ her love life which happens I guess in reality.
Alvin (Kevin Kline) is a cookie cutter rich dad who more often or not provides comedic lines with a hint of parental help or new absurdities rather than an explanation of how he really feels about his son and how he got the way he is. If a father were in the situation Alvin was I highly doubt he would just laugh it off, instead would likely have serious misgivings for himself or concern for his son, at the VERY least wonder if he was psychologically sound. Lake Bell does an amusing job playing the low self esteemed and slightly neurotic Lucy often reminding me of Kristen Wiig in many of her SNL skits.
Portman and Kutcher have excellent screen chemistry, both of them (or so I've been told Kutcher is by the ladies) being equally adorable and funny. Most importantly both portrayed their characters with a lighthearted let's laugh and have fun attitude otherwise the movie and the comedy probably could not have been pulled off. If they had gotten too serious it would have likely changed the mood of the film thus not only making it more drama and miss it's target audience but also denying everyone of the feel good fun romp that this movie was. Both of their comedic timing and charm when combined with the excellent writing of the script ensured the almost non stop laughter and delivery of a sweet love story that this movie provided.
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