He’s Just Not That Into You: A Sappy Valentine’s Treat

I expected more from the highly anticipated and star-studded flick, He’s Just Not That Into You.  After the many commercials and promotional interviews with the ensemble cast playfully discussing all that is wrong with communication between the sexes, I was disappointed to find the film was not an edgier commentary on modern romance. Instead, it was your run of the mill romantic comedy not so cleverly disguising mediocre attempts to provide an unusual ending by trying to dismantle seemingly outdated notions such as the institution of marriage.  And while actors such as Jennifer Aniston and Ginnifer Goodwin gave some memorable performances, it was not enough to bring the movie to the level of popular culture that the book it was based on was claimed to have done.

Don’t get me wrong, I wish someone would have broken it to me years ago that real life romance does not work as smoothly as in films, that there is not always a happily ever after, or not to hang by the phone hoping that guy who has no interest will call.  Perhaps if this film had come out before savvier predecessors such as Ally McBeal or Sex and the City, it would be considered fresh and relevant.  The film was dotted with occasional epiphanies on the biological differences between men and women when it comes to love and sex, along with a rather weak reference to the 80s classic Some Kind of Wonderful, but the plot lost momentum throughout the film.  Any sort of grand statement regarding marriage and infidelity the film could have made seemed to fizzle out and give in to contradictory ideas and a relatively predictable story-line.  Insignificant subplots and pointless characters, such as Mary (Drew Barrymore), only added to the plot’s general sense of inertia.

But old-fashioned romantics, do not despair.  If you’re all out of ideas and considering this one for your Valentine’s Day weekend, there were enough cheesy happy endings and every-cloud-has-a –silver-lining moments to make this the go to movie for those who love their share of corny romantic comedies.  As for the rest of us, if you really need to see what it would be like if Jennifer Aniston and Ben Affleck were a couple, definitely rent this one—or even better—wait for it to come on cable.

Director:  Ken Kwapis
Release Date:  February 6, 2009
Production Company:  Flower Films