Ashton Kutcher makes his return to the romantic comedy genre with Reese Witherspoon in the Netflix film Your Place or Mine, in which the two play lifelong friends who begin to develop a relationship. While Kutcher has mostly been on television for the last decade with Two And A Half Men and The Ranch, there was a time when he was headlining numerous generic rom-coms that weren’t that distinguishable from Your Place Or Mine.
Even for rom-com buffs, films like No Strings Attached, Just Married, My Boss’s Daughter, What Happens in Vegas, and Valentine’s Day barely offer any enjoyment. It’s a disappointing departure for Kutcher, who is often shown signs of being a much more thoughtful and ambitious actor than the one-dimensional roles he’s been shackled to.
Ashton Kutcher's Career Started in Sitcoms
Ashton Kutcher first became well-known thanks to his breakout role as Michael Kelso in That ‘70s Show, which quickly became one of the most popular teen comedies of its time. Kelso is obviously an exaggerated character, and Kutcher nailed the comic oafishness that defined the show’s most lovable loser. Unfortunately, he was so perfect for the role that he would get typecast in similar parts for the better part of his career. Whether it was as romantic leads, comic goofballs, or small parts in family films, Kutcher was rarely given the chance to show any depth.
It’s deeply unfortunate, because Kutcher has proven that he can be so much more. While not all of his more serious roles have come in great projects, he’s chosen a few offbeat roles that prove he has the potential to be a great character actor. Since the conclusion of That ‘70s Show, his co-stars Topher Grace and Mila Kunis have gone on to have successful film careers that allow them to show their range. Kutcher has the chops to prove he can do the same thing, and hopefully more directors and showrunners will give him that opportunity.
Critics Panned Ashton Kutcher's Mainstream Successes
Today, romantic comedies seem to be almost exclusively sent to streaming services, as generally mid budget star vehicles have performed poorly at the box office. However, the better half of the 21st century saw a boom for romantic-comedies and launched a whole generation of new stars. While there were occasional gems like Knocked Up or 500 Days of Summer that managed to subvert cliches and lampoon the genre, these weren’t necessarily the ones Kutcher was cast in. His films like Just Married and My Boss’s Daughter performed well despite the many reviews criticizing their plots.
Ashton Kutcher isn’t necessarily bad in any of these films, but there’s only so much an actor can add to a film that’s derived from weak material. However, it seemed like his few attempts to break out and trying to do something different simply weren’t well-received. His action-centric project The Guardian was a critical dud and financial flop, and while the Robert Kennedy assassination film Bobby was poised as a potential Oscar contender, middling reviews prevented it from receiving any recognition.
Perhaps this signified to Kutcher that he needed to stay within his lane, because there was a disappointing familiarity to the roles he ended up selecting. However, the template to emerge from this genre has already been set. Matthew McConaughey was also caught in a similar mold before the dawn of the “McConaissance,” in which he started pursuing auteur projects like Killer Joe, Dallas Buyers Club, Mud, Interstellar, and True Detective. While Justin Long didn’t necessarily become a giant star, he succeeded in setting aside generic studio rom-coms in favor of under-the-radar science fiction and horror films. In fact, Kutcher’s wife found a way to balance the two routes; while Mila Kunis still popped up in generic fare like Bad Moms or The Spy Who Dumped Me, she still made time for roles like Black Swan that generated critical acclaim. Sadly, Kutcher never seemed to get any similar opportunities.
Ashton Kutcher's Filmography Has a Few Hidden Gems
The few ambitious projects within Kutcher’s filmography showed real signs of promise, even if the films themselves weren’t as well-received. 2004’s The Butterfly Effect received a somewhat mixed reception upon its debut, but it has since been regarded as a cult hit that’s grown an increased audience thanks to its director’s cut. Kutcher’s performance as Evan Treborn is the film’s heart; a reality-bending sci-fi film of that depth really needs an emotive performance that the viewers can connect with, and it's one that Kutcher delivers beautifully.
Similarly, 2013’s Jobs was scoffed at upon release due to the lack of critical analysis on Steve Jobs’ actual career and some of the comically absurd historical recreations. The film itself is hardly an Oscar-worthy masterpiece like Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs, but Kutcher adds a depth and sincerity that elevated the material. He was able to fit his charismatic persona into the crowd-pleasing nature of the film, but still took the chance to indicate Jobs’ darker side and abusive tendencies. He embodies the essence of a narcissistic genius who nonetheless changed the world.
Just last year, Kutcher popped up as the music executive Quinten Sellers in B.J. Novak’s directorial debut Vengeance. Quinten is an enigmatic character; initially, Kutcher delivers an inspiring monologue about the passion that it takes to pursue the arts, and it nearly felt self-reflective on his part. However, shocking revelations about Quinten’s activities completely change the tone of the film, and Kutcher’s nuanced work is one of the reasons that the twists are so effective. It says a lot about an actor if they’re able to turn from admirable to terrifying on a moment’s notice.
There is a future for Kutcher to be a great actor, but films like You’re Place Or Mine aren’t the ones he should be choosing. Perhaps there’s a hesitation about casting an actor so well-known for playing one-dimensional in more layered roles, but Kutcher clearly has a passion for things he believes in. Both he and Kunis are frequent social critics and advocates who have done incredible work to raise awareness of child sex trafficking and offered moving testimonies. Kutcher is clearly a man of intelligence, and it’s about time that he got the roles that proved it.