Arnav Srivastav
5. The Butterfly Effect (2004)
Swaying away from his normal run-ups of romantic-comedies, Kutcher stars as the troubled Evan Treborn, who is haunted by his childhood psychological traumas. An epiphany strikes him while his girlfriend visits him: he can travel back in time. The time accounts for his childhood blackouts, pushing him deeper in a dangerous abyss of secrets. Even though the film was poorly received by critics, who criticised its formulaic setting and a generic ending, it became a huge commercial hit, garnering over a $100 million at the box office.
4. What Happens In Vegas (2008)
Another feather in his already alluring cap of achievements. ‘What Happens in Vegas’ derives its enticing title from the catchphrase, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Staying true to its promising premise, the movie envisages the accidental marriage of two repulsive individuals, both of whom have just come out of relationships. Using money as a bait, the two are tied in unison to sustain their marriage. With each going beyond noble to entitle themselves of all the money, something changes, and the two fall for the snare that is love. A solid screenplay does justice to a charismatic pairing. Diaz and Kutcher bring their A-game and deliver strong performances.
3. Two and a Half Men
Charlie Sheen’s much documented exit brought Kutcher’s relatively cold entrance to the limelight. A vociferous favourite of the viewers, replacing Sheen was virtually impossible. And the good part is, Kutcher didn’t try to do that. Continuing in the same breath as Sheen’s last, his character became equally popular, with the audiences even rating him a couple notches above Sheen. His embarrassing entrances and subservient tendencies follow women made for a blissful watch. His chemistry with the other “man and a half” were an endearingly facsimile of the previous one.
2. No Strings Attached (2011)
In an ocean of delirious and formulaic romantic-comedies, ‘No Strings Attached’ surfaces as a self-assured and unique achievement. With an affable and egregiously talented lead, the movie successfully manages to create a wholesome and layered plot of endearing characters and tangible emotions. Adam is a young and charming bachelor, fresh from a break-up, looking exclusively for women to hook up with. A familiar face in Emma (Portman) pops up in his life, prompting the two to engage in a strictly physical relationship. Chaos reigns supreme when the two fall in love. Kutcher abnormally remains in his natural cadence throughout, almost to the point of his unbelievable performance being an illusion.
1. Jobs (2013)
When the Danny Boyle helmed ‘Steve Jobs’ released in 2015, comparisons were inevitable. Right from a small-scale gossip blog, to giants like the New York Times were heavily involved in discussions and debates. Personally, I felt Kutcher resembled the mercurial and erratic creator of Apple inc. Chronicling his journey from a Stanford drop-out to becoming the owner of the biggest company in the world, ‘Jobs’ had little to offer other than riding on the goodwill of its lead subject character, and an energetic performance from Kutcher. Even though the movie was incomplete with its taciturn narrative, lacking power and persuasion, Kutcher was a stand out. His uncanny resemblance certainly added to the enigma that the character was wrapped in. An effort to remember by a true star.
Read More: Shruti Hassan Movies
