DVD Review: He's Just Not That Into You (2009)
- By Aubrey Ward III
- Published 06/15/2009
- Movies
- Unrated
Aubrey Ward III
I'm just a regular guy that loves watching movies and talking about them. I feel it's my duty as a world citizen to detect cinematic "bombs" so you don't have to. I'm no cinemaristocrat but if I think a film is worth spending money on I'll tell ya. If it's not fit to be used as a doorstop I will certainly tell ya. And remember to always rent first before buying.
View all articles by Aubrey Ward III
You know the scariest thing about getting old? It’s not the baldness. It’s not the weight gain. It’s not even the fact that I’m getting closer and closer to living out the rest of my existence in an old folks home. Nope. The most terrfying aspect of aging and maturing is the growing attraction to……romantic comedies!
I’m really sorry if I made the baby cry and caused the wife to faint but there was just no subtle way to break the news. I am watching more and more “romcoms” as I near ever closer to the big “3-1”. I imagine by the time I’m 40 I will give up comic book movies for tear jerkers where two complete opposites finally stop fussing and feuding and tie the knot in a major wedding finale.
Eh, who am I kidding. Romcoms speak to all of those that have tried to seek intimate companionship with another person. Whether you succeeded and achieved wedded bliss or miserably failed and continue to scour the bars and Match.com for the “Right” person we all can relate to the frustrating yet amusing trials of understanding the sex, opposite and same alike. Oh yeah, you’d think it would be easier for a man to find another man to love and cherish since they are cut from the same cloth, so to speak. Ha! I can tell you that ain’t the case. But anyway, let’s chat about this particular movie before I start spouting off about all the bad dates I’ve had.
He’s Just Not That Into You is based on the bestselling novel by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccilo that I did not read and probably will never read so I’m gonna assume that some of the stuff from the books made it into the movie but probably not everything.
The movie chronicles the lives of a group of young, vibrant and professional people and their pursuits of love and happiness. The movie makes a strong effort to include as many types of relationships as it can fit into the one hundred and twenty-nine minute running time. Janine (Jennifer Connelly) and Ben (Bradley Cooper) are married though just how happily they are is still to be determined. Beth (Jennifer Aniston) and Neil (Ben Affleck) have been “shacking up” for seven years and Beth is afraid that Neil will never put a ring on it. Conor (Kevin Connolly) is certain Anna (Scarlett Johansson) has got what he needs while Anna says he’s just a friend.
My soulmate was found in Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin), a nice girl who dates with her heart on her sleeve in the hopes of finding true love or at least a pleasant friendship. But no matter how much sugar and spice Gigi sprinkles on her date he just never seems to call back. So begs the question “If he doesn’t call you should you call him?” and Gigi embarks on a quest to find the answer. With a little help from a member of the inner circle of manhood named Alex (Justin Long) Gigi will finally be able to understand what men want.
I also totally got Mary (Drew Barrymore) and her internet dating woes. Internet dating is scary. Convenient, tedious, kind of intriguing but for the most part it is so friggin’ spooky. It really is like sifting through a virtual box of chocolates except when you think you’re getting a dark chocolate with cherry filling you end up meeting a Sour Patch Kid. If you think live signals are a pain try online flirting. OMG!
This is my kind of romcom. No frills. No lace. No bridges in some god-forsaken county. He’s Just Not That Into You tells it like it really is and that the answers aren’t always black and white. That’s what makes it so frustrating. Humans are made up of so much gray especially when it comes to dating.
Do I call first or should he call first? Do I pay the check or should we go dutch on the first date? If I send an email does that mean we’re officially a couple? Its stuff like this that makes monastery life look so darn attractive.
The movie flip-flops between the featured characters and “everyday people” giving their insights into the inner workings of dating. Be prepared to hear all sorts of comments on relationships that range from insightful to kooky to downright bizarre (the “hut number” was a bit corny). And it’s not all on the men, either. Women also get a little scrutinized for their high expectations of commitment and honesty and proper table manners. And how fashion forward of the filmmakers to feature some gay characters that don’t just serve as the catty best friend or the catty co-worker or the catty wedding planner.
The ensemble is chock full of some of the most vibrant performers today. You got veterans like Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, and Jennifer Aniston mixed in with the up and comers from the “next generation” like Justin Long and Ginnifer Goodwin. Kudos to the screenwriters for creating some fine archetypes but also for creating the remarkable circumstances that link the group together. Like when Conor gets caught up on Anna who’s hooking up with Ben who’s married to Janine who is a good friend of Gigi who just happened to go on a date with Conor the other night. If you think reading about it is fun you should try watching the act unfold.
I gotta admit that I am not so certain I would’ve liked this film as much if I saw it alone. This is one of those movies that just doesn’t feel right unless you’re watching it along with someone else. And I don’t just mean Aunt Esther and her asthmatic cat, Bobo. You have to see He’s Just Not That Into You with your friend or your entire inner circle. This is a “talk to the screen” kind of movie. This is one of those stories where during the film and afterwards y’all will be up until two in the morning sharing embarrassing stories about the ones that got away and the ones you wish someone would haul away in a big white truck.
Furthermore, I think that this might also be a good film for parents to view with their kids especially if you got daughters. It’s always best to teach them while they’re young and what better lesson to teach than how to discern a good “egg” from a bad one. The movie opens with little Gigi (Morgan Lily) getting shoved and insulted by a boy. When little Gigi asks her mother why the boy would do such a thing Mom tells her that the boy did that to show his affection for her.
So, I guess if the boy punched little Gigi in the face then he would practically be arranging their marriage?
I would love to tell you that the moral of the story of He’s Just Not That Into You is to quit the games, block the signals and just be forthright. That’s really how it should be. But then we wouldn’t have all these tantalizing books and movies that derive their plot from these crazy dating practices. Date counselors would be out of a job, talk show hosts would have to scurry around for an equally vapid topic to discuss for an hour and we would be so much closer to attaining world peace. We need these codes and signals to spice things up and make love-seeking that much more sporty and challenging. Some people like shooting plastic ducks at the carnival game booth while others prefer to crawl through the bush with rifle in hand ready to take down the unsuspecting lion with one clean shot to the beast’s temple.
Yeah, and, um, the DVD and Blu-Ray special features have a ton of deleted scenes with optional commentary including a nightclub performance provided by Scarlett Johansson herself and some behind-the-scenes featurettes that deliver more insight on the subject matter and the creation of the film.
I’m really sorry if I made the baby cry and caused the wife to faint but there was just no subtle way to break the news. I am watching more and more “romcoms” as I near ever closer to the big “3-1”. I imagine by the time I’m 40 I will give up comic book movies for tear jerkers where two complete opposites finally stop fussing and feuding and tie the knot in a major wedding finale.
Eh, who am I kidding. Romcoms speak to all of those that have tried to seek intimate companionship with another person. Whether you succeeded and achieved wedded bliss or miserably failed and continue to scour the bars and Match.com for the “Right” person we all can relate to the frustrating yet amusing trials of understanding the sex, opposite and same alike. Oh yeah, you’d think it would be easier for a man to find another man to love and cherish since they are cut from the same cloth, so to speak. Ha! I can tell you that ain’t the case. But anyway, let’s chat about this particular movie before I start spouting off about all the bad dates I’ve had.
He’s Just Not That Into You is based on the bestselling novel by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccilo that I did not read and probably will never read so I’m gonna assume that some of the stuff from the books made it into the movie but probably not everything.
The movie chronicles the lives of a group of young, vibrant and professional people and their pursuits of love and happiness. The movie makes a strong effort to include as many types of relationships as it can fit into the one hundred and twenty-nine minute running time. Janine (Jennifer Connelly) and Ben (Bradley Cooper) are married though just how happily they are is still to be determined. Beth (Jennifer Aniston) and Neil (Ben Affleck) have been “shacking up” for seven years and Beth is afraid that Neil will never put a ring on it. Conor (Kevin Connolly) is certain Anna (Scarlett Johansson) has got what he needs while Anna says he’s just a friend.
My soulmate was found in Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin), a nice girl who dates with her heart on her sleeve in the hopes of finding true love or at least a pleasant friendship. But no matter how much sugar and spice Gigi sprinkles on her date he just never seems to call back. So begs the question “If he doesn’t call you should you call him?” and Gigi embarks on a quest to find the answer. With a little help from a member of the inner circle of manhood named Alex (Justin Long) Gigi will finally be able to understand what men want.
I also totally got Mary (Drew Barrymore) and her internet dating woes. Internet dating is scary. Convenient, tedious, kind of intriguing but for the most part it is so friggin’ spooky. It really is like sifting through a virtual box of chocolates except when you think you’re getting a dark chocolate with cherry filling you end up meeting a Sour Patch Kid. If you think live signals are a pain try online flirting. OMG!
This is my kind of romcom. No frills. No lace. No bridges in some god-forsaken county. He’s Just Not That Into You tells it like it really is and that the answers aren’t always black and white. That’s what makes it so frustrating. Humans are made up of so much gray especially when it comes to dating.
The movie flip-flops between the featured characters and “everyday people” giving their insights into the inner workings of dating. Be prepared to hear all sorts of comments on relationships that range from insightful to kooky to downright bizarre (the “hut number” was a bit corny). And it’s not all on the men, either. Women also get a little scrutinized for their high expectations of commitment and honesty and proper table manners. And how fashion forward of the filmmakers to feature some gay characters that don’t just serve as the catty best friend or the catty co-worker or the catty wedding planner.
The ensemble is chock full of some of the most vibrant performers today. You got veterans like Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, and Jennifer Aniston mixed in with the up and comers from the “next generation” like Justin Long and Ginnifer Goodwin. Kudos to the screenwriters for creating some fine archetypes but also for creating the remarkable circumstances that link the group together. Like when Conor gets caught up on Anna who’s hooking up with Ben who’s married to Janine who is a good friend of Gigi who just happened to go on a date with Conor the other night. If you think reading about it is fun you should try watching the act unfold.
I gotta admit that I am not so certain I would’ve liked this film as much if I saw it alone. This is one of those movies that just doesn’t feel right unless you’re watching it along with someone else. And I don’t just mean Aunt Esther and her asthmatic cat, Bobo. You have to see He’s Just Not That Into You with your friend or your entire inner circle. This is a “talk to the screen” kind of movie. This is one of those stories where during the film and afterwards y’all will be up until two in the morning sharing embarrassing stories about the ones that got away and the ones you wish someone would haul away in a big white truck.
Furthermore, I think that this might also be a good film for parents to view with their kids especially if you got daughters. It’s always best to teach them while they’re young and what better lesson to teach than how to discern a good “egg” from a bad one. The movie opens with little Gigi (Morgan Lily) getting shoved and insulted by a boy. When little Gigi asks her mother why the boy would do such a thing Mom tells her that the boy did that to show his affection for her.
So, I guess if the boy punched little Gigi in the face then he would practically be arranging their marriage?
I would love to tell you that the moral of the story of He’s Just Not That Into You is to quit the games, block the signals and just be forthright. That’s really how it should be. But then we wouldn’t have all these tantalizing books and movies that derive their plot from these crazy dating practices. Date counselors would be out of a job, talk show hosts would have to scurry around for an equally vapid topic to discuss for an hour and we would be so much closer to attaining world peace. We need these codes and signals to spice things up and make love-seeking that much more sporty and challenging. Some people like shooting plastic ducks at the carnival game booth while others prefer to crawl through the bush with rifle in hand ready to take down the unsuspecting lion with one clean shot to the beast’s temple.
Yeah, and, um, the DVD and Blu-Ray special features have a ton of deleted scenes with optional commentary including a nightclub performance provided by Scarlett Johansson herself and some behind-the-scenes featurettes that deliver more insight on the subject matter and the creation of the film.