Think Like a Man
2.5/4
Starring: Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Terrence J, Romany Malco, Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Taraji P. Henson, Steve Harvey
Rated PG-13 for Sexual Content, Some Crude Humor, and Brief Drug Use
"Think Like a Man," from the self-help book by stand-up comic Steve Harvey, is a standard order romantic comedy (studios, in their desperate love of "brand names," have further lowered the importance of screenwriters by adapting books into romantic comedies...see "Something Borrowed" for another example). The problem here is that there are far too many characters, and for a self-help book, Harvey's book doesn't share anything particularly enlightening about the male or female sex.
This is really a battle of the sexes: five guys (plus two token guys on the other side of the marriage hurdle for comic relief) versus five girls. The guys are all best friends in a state of arrested development. Dominic (Ealy) is a nice guy without direction, Jeremy (Ferrara) has been in a relationship since college but doesn't want to commit to marriage, Michael (Terrence J) is a nice guy whose relationship with his mother (Jenifer Lewis) is way to close, and Zeke is a hopeless womanizer. The girls stack up like this: Kristen (Union) wishes her boyfriend Jeremy would grow up, Lauren likes Dominic (Ealy), but wants to end up with someone rich and successful, Candace (Hall) adores Michael but doesn't want to compete with his mother and Mya (Good) is postponing sex with Zeke to make sure that he isn't a one-night stand. The girls feel lonely and hopeless until they start using Harvey's book against the guys. The guys are helpless until they use the book against them.
To be fair to the film, it's not a two-hour long advertisement for Harvey's book (although it does take product placement to a whole new level--the book is constantly sold out and Harvey himself periodically shows up to dish out new advice on an Oprah-like talk show). The characters, while not original, are sympathetic and well-acted; even Kevin Hart (who's other film that I saw, the wretched "Soul Plane," was awful beyond comprehension) has his moments.
But there's a fundamental flaw in this premise: all these romances rely on cons, deception and outright lies. These three things ruin relationships 100% of the time. People in lasting relationships fall in love because they become best friends, not because they outwit the other. This sort of thing has happened before in many a comedy (like "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," for example) and would be forgivable if the movie were funny or enlightening. But the movie isn't especially funny and Harvey's bits of wisdom are fairly obvious; in fact, all of them have been used as necessary plot devices in previous, better romantic comedies.
The film also has a tendency to deal in stereotypes. The guys are commitment-phobic lotharios in a perpetual state of arrested development and the women want love and commitment. Who hasn't seen that before? Not only is this cliche, but it reinforces the sexual double standard: men only want sex and those who are skilled enough to get countless women to sleep with them are studs, while women are virtuous and emotional (and the only women who like sex are sluts). I mean, Robin Williams had a point when he said "God gave men a brain and a penis, but unfortunately not enough blood to run both at the same time," but still. Aren't women allowed to enjoy sex and men to want marriage? Switching the gender roles would have given the film an edge that it desperately needs.
There's nothing wrong with the acting. In fact, some of it is particularly good. Ferrara, Union, Terrence J and Hall are especially strong. I really felt for them. The others aren't far behind. Hart is likable, and while he gets some laughs, he talks way too fast to understand a lot of what he says. The cast members pick up a significant amount of slack left by the flat screenplay and make the most of the time that they're given. We see them as individuals, not types, which is crucial.
Tim Story tells the story like he should. He sets the stage and shows the beginning, middle, end and reunion of each character. He doesn't show off or try to be too hip and offbeat. It's the solid workmanship that every film needs. Story, whose previous credits include "Barbershop" (which is the only one that got positive reviews), "Taxi" and the "Fantastic Four" movies (all of which were considered to be horrid), knows what needs to be done and does it.
The film is entirely watchable and on some level enjoyable. But it's also completely generic; there's nothing special about it either. If you like romance with a few laughs, this will fit the bill, but that's it.
Starring: Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Terrence J, Romany Malco, Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Taraji P. Henson, Steve Harvey
Rated PG-13 for Sexual Content, Some Crude Humor, and Brief Drug Use
"Think Like a Man," from the self-help book by stand-up comic Steve Harvey, is a standard order romantic comedy (studios, in their desperate love of "brand names," have further lowered the importance of screenwriters by adapting books into romantic comedies...see "Something Borrowed" for another example). The problem here is that there are far too many characters, and for a self-help book, Harvey's book doesn't share anything particularly enlightening about the male or female sex.
This is really a battle of the sexes: five guys (plus two token guys on the other side of the marriage hurdle for comic relief) versus five girls. The guys are all best friends in a state of arrested development. Dominic (Ealy) is a nice guy without direction, Jeremy (Ferrara) has been in a relationship since college but doesn't want to commit to marriage, Michael (Terrence J) is a nice guy whose relationship with his mother (Jenifer Lewis) is way to close, and Zeke is a hopeless womanizer. The girls stack up like this: Kristen (Union) wishes her boyfriend Jeremy would grow up, Lauren likes Dominic (Ealy), but wants to end up with someone rich and successful, Candace (Hall) adores Michael but doesn't want to compete with his mother and Mya (Good) is postponing sex with Zeke to make sure that he isn't a one-night stand. The girls feel lonely and hopeless until they start using Harvey's book against the guys. The guys are helpless until they use the book against them.
To be fair to the film, it's not a two-hour long advertisement for Harvey's book (although it does take product placement to a whole new level--the book is constantly sold out and Harvey himself periodically shows up to dish out new advice on an Oprah-like talk show). The characters, while not original, are sympathetic and well-acted; even Kevin Hart (who's other film that I saw, the wretched "Soul Plane," was awful beyond comprehension) has his moments.
But there's a fundamental flaw in this premise: all these romances rely on cons, deception and outright lies. These three things ruin relationships 100% of the time. People in lasting relationships fall in love because they become best friends, not because they outwit the other. This sort of thing has happened before in many a comedy (like "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," for example) and would be forgivable if the movie were funny or enlightening. But the movie isn't especially funny and Harvey's bits of wisdom are fairly obvious; in fact, all of them have been used as necessary plot devices in previous, better romantic comedies.
The film also has a tendency to deal in stereotypes. The guys are commitment-phobic lotharios in a perpetual state of arrested development and the women want love and commitment. Who hasn't seen that before? Not only is this cliche, but it reinforces the sexual double standard: men only want sex and those who are skilled enough to get countless women to sleep with them are studs, while women are virtuous and emotional (and the only women who like sex are sluts). I mean, Robin Williams had a point when he said "God gave men a brain and a penis, but unfortunately not enough blood to run both at the same time," but still. Aren't women allowed to enjoy sex and men to want marriage? Switching the gender roles would have given the film an edge that it desperately needs.
There's nothing wrong with the acting. In fact, some of it is particularly good. Ferrara, Union, Terrence J and Hall are especially strong. I really felt for them. The others aren't far behind. Hart is likable, and while he gets some laughs, he talks way too fast to understand a lot of what he says. The cast members pick up a significant amount of slack left by the flat screenplay and make the most of the time that they're given. We see them as individuals, not types, which is crucial.
Tim Story tells the story like he should. He sets the stage and shows the beginning, middle, end and reunion of each character. He doesn't show off or try to be too hip and offbeat. It's the solid workmanship that every film needs. Story, whose previous credits include "Barbershop" (which is the only one that got positive reviews), "Taxi" and the "Fantastic Four" movies (all of which were considered to be horrid), knows what needs to be done and does it.
The film is entirely watchable and on some level enjoyable. But it's also completely generic; there's nothing special about it either. If you like romance with a few laughs, this will fit the bill, but that's it.
Comments
Post a Comment