OK, I LOVED the book. I admit it. When I was single, He’s Just Not That Into You was a much needed wake-up call. OF COURSE! Why do I always make excuses for these guys who basically treat me like shit? Why do I do all the work to make things happen? Why the stress of deciphering every little email, phone call, date?
And then by just reading the title of the book, I had my answer. Of course, you really don’t need to read the 165 pages to figure out that if it’s too much work then you and him ain’t happening. But you read it anyway because it’s easily digestible fun and, like most romantic comedies, that’s why you’d go and see the movie version.
HJNTIY is definitely a
guilty pleasure and obviously a chick flick. Although when I saw it last night there were at least 20 guys there and most didn’t come with dates. But I loved watching it with a bunch of women anyway. We reacted to the same things like when Scarlett Johansson’s character described Bradley Cooper’s ass as one she’d like to dry hump, we all found ourselves checking it out when they showed him walking away. “He does have a nice ass!” said the lady sitting behind me. Then I laughed because I had just been thinking the same thing.
We awww‘d and cooed when Ben Affleck’s character did something unbelievably sweet for his live-in girlfriend, played by Jennifer Aniston. And we hid behind our hair when Ginnifer Goodwin left really awkward voicemail messages for the guys she was stalking, I mean courting.
The only thing that kinda bugged me is that the original message of the book wasn’t carried through to the end of the film. The book, and the movie early on, basically tells you to ignore the exceptions and that you are the rule.
So don’t listen to your friends who tell you that the friend of a friend went through the exact same thing you’re going through where she hadn’t heard from the guy in a year and then he finally called, they got together and now are ecstatically married. Real life doesn’t happen like that and as women we often grasp onto those exceptions like a beacon of hope when really we should just get over it and move on.
From Newsweek:
The real question is, why didn’t they re-title the movie He’s Just Not That Into You … Until He Is?
But as this is a romantic comedy, you know there’s a happy ending. There’s gotta be. And that’s when you realize, hmm, guess there is a problem with turning a non-fiction book into a rom-com and that you’ve just been supplied with a fresh batch of happily-ever-afters to cling to. D’oh!
But it’s fun! And it’s not like it’s pretending to be anything else. Sure, it has a bunch of A-listers in it but don’t let that confuse you. Go see it with your best girlfriends. It’s the perfect movie to watch on V-Day. For single ladies, not couples, mind you. I wouldn’t do that to my bf. Althoughhh, Scarlett Jo’s bodacious boobs often showcased in tight shirts here might provide ample entertainment for most dudes.
Suffice it to say, critics seem to hate this movie. It got 40% on RottenTomatoes.com, putting it up there with Beverly Hills Chihuahua. But if you loved Sex and the City, you’ll love this movie, Roger Ebert be damned.