I'm Just Not That Into This Movie
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
, Posted by Should I See It at 10:00 PM
Film: He’s Just Not That Into You
Director: Ken Kwapis
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Ginnifer Goodwin
The strangest thing about He’s Just Not That Into You is that it bills itself as a romantic comedy. Romance is thin, the laughs are thinner, and it somehow leaves the viewer downtrodden and exhausted by its end. It is NOT a comfort for a woman to know that her happiness is reliant on merely being in a relationship, as the single life is reserved for ‘finding oneself’ (codeword for misery).
The interweaving relationships make the film come off as a try-hard Love Actually without any of the joy of what it means to love or be in love. Indeed love doesn’t seem to figure much in the minds of characters of this film, who seem to prefer the status of being in a relationship or being married as opposed to love.
Without the star studded cast, it would be difficult to keep track of all the story lines. The script is so weak that the audience can only identify the characters by the actors playing them as opposed to good storytelling and well drawn characterisation.
And I use the term “characters” loosely as the women in the film seemed to be distinguished only by their levels of ‘neediness’. Ginnifer Goodwin needs a boyfriend, and is suitably cloying, neurotic and needy. Jennifer Aniston wants to marry Ben Affleck (a sentiment that he does not return) and is suitably upset, withdrawn and needy. Jennifer Connelly fears the husband she demanded marry her is lying to her and is suitably self conscious and needy. Likewise Scarlett Johansson is a struggling singer attracted to a married man and is suitable selfish, vain, and needy.
The’ gimmick’ of the film is the interspersing of interviews with ‘real’ women discussing how men are just not into them. Unfortunately for the film, these thirty second cameos are far more interesting and engaging than the film itself.
The film is two hours, and feels like it, especially since it has more endings than The Return of the King; endings which are far less deserved and far less satisfactory than Peter Jacksons epic. The ending(s) are incredibly forced, and only serve to reinforce that
1. WOMEN ARE NEEDY IRRATIONAL CREATURES, and
2. Things only work out in films where people have designer apartments to match their designer wardrobes and little else to concern themselves that the prospect of not being in a relationship.
Should I see it?
While the all star cast might be a draw card, I wouldn’t recommend it. Especially if you’re single. A real downer.
Director: Ken Kwapis
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Ginnifer Goodwin
The strangest thing about He’s Just Not That Into You is that it bills itself as a romantic comedy. Romance is thin, the laughs are thinner, and it somehow leaves the viewer downtrodden and exhausted by its end. It is NOT a comfort for a woman to know that her happiness is reliant on merely being in a relationship, as the single life is reserved for ‘finding oneself’ (codeword for misery).
The interweaving relationships make the film come off as a try-hard Love Actually without any of the joy of what it means to love or be in love. Indeed love doesn’t seem to figure much in the minds of characters of this film, who seem to prefer the status of being in a relationship or being married as opposed to love.
Without the star studded cast, it would be difficult to keep track of all the story lines. The script is so weak that the audience can only identify the characters by the actors playing them as opposed to good storytelling and well drawn characterisation.
And I use the term “characters” loosely as the women in the film seemed to be distinguished only by their levels of ‘neediness’. Ginnifer Goodwin needs a boyfriend, and is suitably cloying, neurotic and needy. Jennifer Aniston wants to marry Ben Affleck (a sentiment that he does not return) and is suitably upset, withdrawn and needy. Jennifer Connelly fears the husband she demanded marry her is lying to her and is suitably self conscious and needy. Likewise Scarlett Johansson is a struggling singer attracted to a married man and is suitable selfish, vain, and needy.
The’ gimmick’ of the film is the interspersing of interviews with ‘real’ women discussing how men are just not into them. Unfortunately for the film, these thirty second cameos are far more interesting and engaging than the film itself.
The film is two hours, and feels like it, especially since it has more endings than The Return of the King; endings which are far less deserved and far less satisfactory than Peter Jacksons epic. The ending(s) are incredibly forced, and only serve to reinforce that
1. WOMEN ARE NEEDY IRRATIONAL CREATURES, and
2. Things only work out in films where people have designer apartments to match their designer wardrobes and little else to concern themselves that the prospect of not being in a relationship.
Should I see it?
While the all star cast might be a draw card, I wouldn’t recommend it. Especially if you’re single. A real downer.
He's Just Not That Into You Official Site here.
