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No Strings Attached
Emma is a busy doctor who sets up a seemingly perfect arrangement when she offers her best friend Adam a relationship with one rule: No strings attached. But when a fling becomes a thing, can sex friends stay best friends?
2011 · Directed by Ivan Reitman · 107 min · Comedy · Romance · Screenplay in the scene database · 18 frames
Tagline
Friendship has its benefits.
Plot
Emma Kurtzman and Adam Franklin first meet as teenagers at a summer camp attended by their families. Over the years, they occasionally cross paths but do not stay in touch. As adults, Emma becomes a doctor in Los Angeles, while Adam works as a production assistant for a musical television series. Adam discovers that his father, Alvin, a former television comedy star, is now dating Adam's ex-girlfriend Vanessa. Upset by the news, Adam gets drunk and contacts several women in his phone. He wakes up the next morning on Emma's couch, where her friends tease him for having cried and passed out naked. Emma helps him find his clothes, and the two end up having sex.
They sleep together again at Adam's home and agree to become friends with benefits. Over time, Adam develops romantic feelings for Emma and becomes jealous of her colleague Sam. Emma, who is uncomfortable with emotional involvement, ends their arrangement. However, she later realizes she misses Adam, and after a night of drinking, goes to his apartment, where they sleep together again.
On Adam's birthday, Alvin announces that he plans to have children with Vanessa. Disturbed by the news, Adam leaves the celebration. Emma supports him, and Adam asks her to go on a real date with him on Valentine's Day. Although the date goes well, Emma reiterates that she is not ready for a serious relationship. Adam, wanting more, decides to end their friendship. Six weeks later, at her sister's wedding rehearsal dinner, Emma realizes she wants to be with Adam. She calls him, but he does not reciprocate. She drives to his apartment and sees him arriving with his co-worker Lucy, whom she assumes is his new girlfriend. Heartbroken, she leaves without speaking to him.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Screenplay: Elizabeth Meriwether
- Cinematography: Rogier Stoffers
- Edited by: Dana E. Glauberman
- Music: John Debney
- Production design: Ida Random
- Produced by: Ivan Reitman, Joe Medjuck, Jeffrey Clifford
Cast
- Natalie Portman as Emma Kurtzman
- Ashton Kutcher as Adam Franklin
- Kevin Kline as Alvin Franklin
- Cary Elwes as Dr. Stephen Metzner
- Greta Gerwig as Patrice
- Lake Bell as Lucy
- Olivia Thirlby as Katie Kurtzman
- Ludacris as Wallace
- Jake Johnson as Eli
- Mindy Kaling as Shira
Production
- Country: United States of America
- Language: English
- Studios: Katalyst Films, The Montecito Picture Company, Handsomecharlie Films
- Budget: $25,000,000
- Box office: $149,200,000
- Themes: parent child relationship, casual meeting, sexual humor, student of medicine, friends, open relationship, best friend, valentine's day, casual sex, friends in love
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