How To Be Single
Dir: Christian Ditter
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann, Alison Brie,
Nicholas Braun, Anders Holm, and Damon Wayans Jr.
Warner Bros. Pictures
110 Minutes
The red hearts are everywhere, the flowers are ready to be
delivered, and the chocolates are available in vast assortments. For those not
in a romantic relationship this upcoming Valentine’s Day weekend, prepare for
every possible reminder that you are single. Call up your single friends and
cast those Valentine’s Day worries aside because “How To Be Single” will give
you a reason to go to the movies. Whether or not this film will provide the
desired distractions is completely up to you. “How To Be Single” is a romantic
comedy, offering quite a few funny moments, that barely escapes the trappings
that have faltered many like it before.
Alice (Dakota Johnson) is a newcomer to New York City, just
graduated and taking a break from her college boyfriend to find her identity as
a single person. Alice is introduced to singlehood by Robin (Rebel Wilson), a bawdy
and promiscuous partier who breaks down the rules of hookups and offers quick
remedies for hangovers. Alice lives with her sister Meg (Leslie Mann), a
self-absorbed obstetrician who doesn’t want a relationship but wants a baby.
Add an indulgent womanizing bartender (Anders Holm) and a statistic focused
Internet dater (Alison Brie) and the rugged roads on the journey to a
relationship city are set.
Focusing a narrative on interweaving stories has potential
to shorthand character development or general cohesiveness along the way. For
the most part “How To Be Single” avoids these trappings, instead utilizing the
familiar conventions to take advantage of a well-timed joke. However, it still
falters when needing to wrap everything up nicely with a bow or when in the
process of deciding how much the female characters should stand on their own
two feet instead of relying on men to influence their resolution. The film
pushes the two-hour mark, which is noticeable in the third act when the film slows
to a crawl as the women and accompanying men conclude their stories. Leading up
to this point you can feel the film slowly unraveling as confusions of being a
single person in the big city and the woes of establishing a relationship are portrayed
initially funny and amusing only to become repetitiously tedious.
Dakota Johnson leads the group and is the tie that holds the
film together. Ms. Johnson’s naïve and innocent character composition allows
her journey of maturation to feel more substantial than it otherwise would have
been. Rebel Wilson is utilized in the same way audiences have seen her before,
foul mouthed and looking to have a good time. It would have been a welcome
design to see her character traverse the relationship spectrum like the other characters;
instead she consistently plays the same note over and over. Leslie Mann also
plays another variation of past characters, but like Ms. Wilson she is good at
making the most out of the familiar role.
“How To Be Single” is an average romantic comedy, but that’s
saying quite a bit considering the recent quality of these sort of films. The
cast keeps the film on track and the narrative does a decent job of keeping the
laughs, awkwardness, and sincere qualities consistent. It may not be as sweet
as Valentine’s Day candy but it will suit those looking for a tame date movie
or those seeking a reason to skip the greeting card company’s favorite day.
Monte’s Rating
2.75 out of 5.00
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