Print
E-mail
Tell us what you think!Send a letter to the editor about this or any other article in The Maine Campus.
Never have men seemed so shallow or women so idiotic as in “He’s Just Not That Into You.” This attempt at romantic comedy falls desperately flat. For a film that wants so badly to be a lighthearted comedy, the laughs are manufactured and weak. Random pop culture references and platitudes pepper this movie like a minefield, leaving viewers stone-faced.
Several different characters are shown here in various relationships, and bizarrely collide by the end of the film. Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) is typecast as the desperate woman who sits by her phone for days waiting for that guy from the bar to call back. This empty portrayal is enough to garner disgust from women everywhere. She’s shown as a sad, immature woman who has nothing better to do than to wait for Mr. Right.
Then there’s Beth (Jennifer Anniston) who is in a long-term relationship with Neil (Ben Affleck), who refuses to walk down the aisle. Beth is the stereotypical woman longing to drag her man to the altar. Jump to Ben (Bradley Cooper) and Janine (Jennifer Connelly), who are unhappily married and yet avoid addressing the obvious. Believe it or not, Ben is led astray by a blonde bombshell in the form of Anna (Scarlett Johansson). This collaboration of boring, typical connections is nothing that hasn’t been seen or done before.
“He’s Just Not That Into You” is derived from a book by the same name, written by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. The basic premise of this book is to educate women on the fact that men are dishonest jerks who seek to take advantage of them or break their hearts. Somehow, this man has managed to not only make a killing with his mind-numbing book but also capitalize on it by making it a “Sex and the City” catchphrase and subsequently bringing it to the big screen. The byproduct of this is a sad excuse for a romantic comedy.
The cast reads like a who’s who of Hollywood. Drew Barrymore and Justin Long are among the aforementioned A-listers seen here. This simply adds to the mystery of why this movie is such a catastrophe. Apparently no amount of talent could have kept it afloat. The flat script, forced humor, cliched situations and confused intertwining of the characters all add to this disparaging production.
Although it is disguised as a fun-loving date movie, “He’s Just Not That Into You” spends most of its hour-and-a-half running time overanalyzing simple encounters, patronizing and generalizing both sexes and placing stereotypes everywhere. The concept of love is sent through the shredder and comes out completely destroyed on the other side. The movie vainly attempts to be touching and warm-hearted, but comes across as bitter and contrived.
If viewers check their brain at the door, they might enjoy this film. Otherwise, save your money and your dignity by skipping this mushy mess.
Grade: D
Related Posts:- Film Review: Couples Retreat (October 22, 2009)
- Film Review: The Unborn (January 29, 2009)
- Film Review: “Australia” (December 11, 2008)
- Film Review: Doubt (February 2, 2009)
- Film Review: Jennifer’s Body (September 24, 2009)
