Love & Lust Author of the Divergent series, Veronica Roth, details the feeling of lust through the eyes of her protagonist by writing “something about him makes me feel like I am about to fall. Or turn to liquid. Or burst into flames.” This overwhelming feeling of attraction is at times, the hamartia of love, and merely leads to a relationship that lacks substance. But, in some circumstances, as examined in the two films No Strings Attached and About Last Night, lust is the engine of love; and is what ultimately catalysts the emotion involved in a genuine and unitive relationship. The two films, that share the same message at their core, force the viewer to examine how relationships can change, by introducing the roles of friendship, sex,
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In No Strings Attached sex is how the relationship began, Emma suggest that the two “Use each other for sex at all hours of the day and night, nothing else.” Adam even explains his relationship with Emma to his father by saying we are “Friends with benefits. Fuck buddies.” The plan, which was originally just to have sex without catching feelings, eventually falls apart. This is due to the unitive power of sex. Once you start sleeping with someone, you feel this intimate connection, both emotionally, and physically; which ultimately leads to feelings and a constant craving to be with this person. For example, Adam started to get jealous of Emma’s co-worker and couldn't get her off of his mind. There came a point in the relationship where it just wasn’t about sex anymore, yet Emma didn't feel the same. Similarly, in About Last Night, the relationship also began as a one night stand, developed into casual sex, which eventually turned into a relationship. Because the relationship moved so fast, the two did not have time to fully process their emotions, their long term goals, and what the relationship meant to both of them; this lead to their …show more content…
For example, at the end of No Strings Attached emma finally realizes that she has feelings for Adam and calls him to say “I know this is random. I just, um, I miss you. I miss you so much.” She realizes that the purely physical relationship, actually involved her emotions, and the girl who once claimed she could never fall in love, infact, did. Similarly, in About Last Night, it is not until Debbie calls Danny out by saying “Bullshit. You don't know what love is. You've gotten everything you have always wanted and now you're feeling sorry for yourself because there's something you want and you can't have it. But you had it! I gave you love. But you asked me to leave and I left.” It wasn't until Debbie left, did Danny realize that he was in love with her. That is the interesting thing about love. As Margaret Atwood once said you “can't keep a cool head when you're drowning in love. You just thrash around a lot and scream, and wear yourself out.” In other words, love drives you crazy, it leads you to be heartbroken, obsessive, and confused; but without these emotions and metaphorically drowning, you wouldn't be able to realize how much someone means to you, or how much your life would be impacted without them. That is why in one of the final scenes of No Strings Attached Adam tells Emma “I'm warning
In No Strings Attached sex is how the relationship began, Emma suggest that the two “Use each other for sex at all hours of the day and night, nothing else.” Adam even explains his relationship with Emma to his father by saying we are “Friends with benefits. Fuck buddies.” The plan, which was originally just to have sex without catching feelings, eventually falls apart. This is due to the unitive power of sex. Once you start sleeping with someone, you feel this intimate connection, both emotionally, and physically; which ultimately leads to feelings and a constant craving to be with this person. For example, Adam started to get jealous of Emma’s co-worker and couldn't get her off of his mind. There came a point in the relationship where it just wasn’t about sex anymore, yet Emma didn't feel the same. Similarly, in About Last Night, the relationship also began as a one night stand, developed into casual sex, which eventually turned into a relationship. Because the relationship moved so fast, the two did not have time to fully process their emotions, their long term goals, and what the relationship meant to both of them; this lead to their …show more content…
For example, at the end of No Strings Attached emma finally realizes that she has feelings for Adam and calls him to say “I know this is random. I just, um, I miss you. I miss you so much.” She realizes that the purely physical relationship, actually involved her emotions, and the girl who once claimed she could never fall in love, infact, did. Similarly, in About Last Night, it is not until Debbie calls Danny out by saying “Bullshit. You don't know what love is. You've gotten everything you have always wanted and now you're feeling sorry for yourself because there's something you want and you can't have it. But you had it! I gave you love. But you asked me to leave and I left.” It wasn't until Debbie left, did Danny realize that he was in love with her. That is the interesting thing about love. As Margaret Atwood once said you “can't keep a cool head when you're drowning in love. You just thrash around a lot and scream, and wear yourself out.” In other words, love drives you crazy, it leads you to be heartbroken, obsessive, and confused; but without these emotions and metaphorically drowning, you wouldn't be able to realize how much someone means to you, or how much your life would be impacted without them. That is why in one of the final scenes of No Strings Attached Adam tells Emma “I'm warning