Movie Review: He's Just Not That Into You

Category:	Movies
Genre:	Romantic Comedy

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He's Just Not That Into You is a 2009 US romantic comedy film, based on the self-help book of the same name by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, which, in turn, was based on a line of dialogue in Sex and the City. Produced by Drew Barrymore's Flower Films and released by New Line Cinema. Featuring an ensemble cast, it stars Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, Jennifer Connelly, Ginnifer Goodwin, Kevin Connolly, and Bradley Cooper; and is directed by Ken Kwapis, from a script adaptation by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein.

Synopsis: A group of interconnected, Baltimore-based twenty-and-thirtysomethings navigate their various relationships from the shallow end of the dating pool through the deep, murky waters of married life, trying to read the signs of the opposite sex-and hoping to be the exceptions to the "no-exceptions" rule. Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) just wants a man who says he'll call--and does--while Alex (Justin Long) advises her to stop sitting by the phone. Beth (Jennifer Aniston) wonders if she should call it off after years of committed singlehood with her boyfriend, Neil (Ben Affleck), but he doesn't think there's a single thing wrong with their unmarried life. Janine's (Jennifer Connelly) not sure if she can trust her husband, Ben (Bradley Cooper), who can't quite trust himself around Anna (Scarlet Johansson). Anna can't decide between the sexy married guy, or her straightforward, no-sparks standby, Conor (Kevin Conolly), who can't get over the fact that he can't have her. And Mary (Drew Barrymore), who's found an entire network of loving, supportive men, just needs to find one who's straight.

I thoroughly enjoyed He's Just Not That Into You! I absolutely liked the movie, I didn't have high expectations for this one. I have read the book HJNTIY (seemed pretty self explanatory by the title alone) but I wasn't really sure how it could be made into a film, but I'll say I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I liked that in-your-face approach of the script, which is so real and some (if not all) of the situations presented in the film really do happen in real life. It was extremely hilarious and utterly realistic, and features an eclectic cast that all add something different to this intriguing tale of dealing with the pitfalls of dating and marriage. The movie would also remind you of movies made by the great Woody Allen, a movie with an ensemble cast with interconnected back stories, all weaved together to form one big movie. And I think what made the movie a big hit that it, primarily due to the actors who made up the ensemble cast. Who would've thought you can see the names of top Hollywood acts Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Ben Affleck and Scarlet Johansson together in one marquee? And then you throw in future superstars like Justin Long, Kevin Connolly, Ginnifer Goodwin and the super, ultra hot Bradley Cooper, you have a great ensemble. every actor involved in this movie give excellent supporting performances. Not one outshines the others. These are current stars that can draw young adult audiences and they live up to the expectations. I'm glad Jennifer Connelly is there to provide the Oscar worthy drama, and Scarlett Johansson as the seductive temptress, even Ben Affleck is not too shabby in this one, he has great chemistry with Jennifer Aniston. Ginnifer Goodwin is also delightfully funny, and her character is someone every woman can relate to. Bradley Cooper is just smoking hot! I wonder why he wasn't given a chance to shine before, but he gives a good performance in this film. I wouldn't mind getting into an extramarital affair with a guy as hot as he is. Justin Long provides the voice of reason in this film, making everyone understand the psyche of a common guy who knows a thing or 2 about the rules of dating. Kevin Connolly, of Entourage fame, plays the role of a of a serial dater/player to a hilt. Everybody has an essential part, except for Drew, who I felt was underutilized, and only appears in some few scenes in the film. The technical elements are quite good--sets, costumes, lighting, music, and so on. There are some beautiful shots. I also quite liked the convention of using normal people to talk about each titled section of the movie. For me, it gave it a good sense of flow and grounding, helping tie the mini-theme of each section into the tapestry of the film. I also liked it that the movie was set in Baltimore, an unlikely location for a romantic comedy. It is refreshing, at least it's not another romantic comedy set in New York or L.A or Chicago, the usual locations. Overall, it is a fun movie to see, and more thought-provoking than I thought it would be. Good writing, good acting, and a good blending of the various elements involved. It also reminds me of Love, Actually--which is a good thing in my view. Enjoyable, just be ready to realize how close you come to what's being made fun of and commented on.