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He's Just Not
That Into You****
*ing: Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Ginnifer Goodwin, Bradley Cooper, Justin Long
Directed by Ken Kwapis
Tagline: Are you the exception… or the rule?
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Hollywood has always had a fascination for turning books into films - but it is kind of strange for a self-help book to be adapted for the big screen. In this case, it's the best-selling He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, the idea for which was in turn inspired by an episode of Sex and the City.
But the screenwriters, director and cast of He's Just Not That Into You make it work so well, that you can't help but be taken in by the sage advice this film offers.
Starring a slew of Hollywood's A-listers as well as TV actors who are striving to make it big in films (Kevin Connolly from Entourage and Justin Long from Ed), the film is tailor-made for a generation that are devotees of self-help books, thrive on their friends' advice, believe marriage is the next big step for a relationship and use online social media and networking websites to 'stalk' someone.
This extremely engaging film features the lives of three couples - Neil (Affleck) and Beth (Aniston), Ben (Cooper) and Janine (Connelly) as well as the overlapping characters of Mary (Barrymore), Gigi (Goodwin), Alex (Long) and Anna (Johansson). And it is a film that will make you laugh at the kookiness of the characters, empathize with them, but most importantly, there's a shade of yourself you'll recognize in each |
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| of the characters. (Expect many exclamations of 'Oh, I did the exact same thing!' when these characters begin talking about love and dating.) |
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The central character of He's Just Not That Into You is Gigi, who is hopelessly terrible at understanding the rules of dating: do you call a guy first or wait for him to call you? Do you spend days staring at the phone willing for him to call? Do you orchestrate 'chance' meetings with the object of your affection? Goodwin does all of this unabashedly (and to much cringing embarrassment) but is saved along the way when she meets Long, who becomes her guru to dating by offering her his insight into how men's minds tick. And he ruthlessly chops down all of the pre-conceived notions and myths women have about men and the excuses they make for them (For example - if he hasn't called he must be kidnapped/in an accident/lost his phone. This would be only be funny if women didn't actually think this way)
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The other relationships are just as amusing and engaging. Beth breaks off a seven-year relationship with the marriage-phobic Neil, leading her to become the butt of sympathy and jokes as her sister gets married, and Ben and Janine's marriage takes a toll when Ben runs into the yoga guru meets aspiring singer, the vivacious Anna, played by Scarlett Johansson. Meanwhile Connolly (Conor) is completely at a loss to understand why he cant get back together with Anna - who has dumped him - but she's busy making eyes at the married Ben. On the other hand, Mary is a successful woman who has everything going for her but is bogged down with the rules of Internet dating. Sounds like a complicated mess?
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| Surprisingly, it isn't. For such a huge ensemble cast to come together is a big coup for the filmmakers. In turn, the presence of such big name stars has guaranteed its commercial success. But what works in He's Just Not That Into You is that none of the actors overshadow each other. For example, the scenes between Gigi and Alex are the best, despite the fact that they aren't the biggest of stars, and it is their story that leaps out at you from the film. |
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The whole point of He's Just Not That Into You is breaking down the myths, conventions and rules of dating, relationships and marriage. And while they may not be entirely applicable to Pakistan, given the absence of the conventional dating scene and meeting guys in bars or clubs, this film strikes a chord with everyone. Whether it's the regret or happiness of marriage or how Facebook and MySpace have affected the way people meet, the film has this universal appeal. And while you may be shifting guiltily in your seat while watching the film, its feel-good ending will leave you with a smile on your face - and a hope that you may be an exception to the conventional rules of dating as well. A must watch!
– Saba Imtiaz
*YUCK
**WHATEVER
***GOOD
****SUPER
*****AWESOME |
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