How to be Single (2016)
For once, in February, just after Valentine's day, we are not being subjected to your usual soppy Rom-Com. This year, we have How To Be Single, a film about young paralegal Alice, played by Dakota Johnson, trying to find her feet in New York after a major break up. Alice soon starts hanging out with Rebel Wilson's character, Robin, who shows her the ways of single life. What to drink, who to sleep with and how to get rid of the hangover. Wilson, being naturally off the wall, provides a lot of the laughs here with her zany comments and physical comedy too.
Johnson, fresh from 50 Shades of Grey actually gets to act here and even smile! (Can you tell I despised that film!?) The problem with her character is that as the audience, we know nothing about her really apart from that she has had a break up, then gets a boyfriend, then breaks up again. It is a vicious cycle, which she even picks up on later in the film. Does she always her define herself by a relationship?
Her sister Meg, played by Leslie Mann, comes across as a way more fleshed out character. Its's nice to see Mann toning it down for this role, she is so subtle compared to her toilet humour in previous Judd Apatow outings. She plays a middle aged midwife, who then decides to have a baby herself via sperm donor. Things start to get even more complex when she meets her younger boyfriend, after falling pregnant. Maybe it's my age, but I found her story more compelling than our main character Alice at some points. (Maybe it's my age!)
The plot takes unexpected twists, but annoying does some pretty big time skips as a result. It is refreshing, however to have a film that doesn't want to be predictable. Alison Brie also features, despite being on the poster with the 3 other stars, she does not have one scene with the other women. Her parts literally feel stitched on in post production to the film. The only thing linking her to Alice's character is the sleazy barman she lives above. However, with what she is given, Brie will make you chuckle and definitely cringe. In particular, her formulas for the dating world and a later rant to some young kids about relationships.
New York is a character in itself here. You can't help but get swept up in the fairy lights and vodka fuelled haze the film presents to us. It does look magical, the look of the film is pretty glossy. Costumes are vibrant, almost retro looking too. In fact this film could have been set in the early 2000's if it wasn't for the mobile phones with emojis. Some set pieces work better than others. Alice's ex who keeps popping up gets tiresome really quickly, and the fact that she never seems to be at work is also head scratching....
Where the film lacks depth, it makes up for in gags and even a few heartfelt moments, most notably with Damon Wayans, Jr. and his daughter. The message behind the film is hopeful - you don't need to be with someone to be complete. The ending reflects this, it didn't pan out at all how I though it would be.This beats the usual Nicholas Sparks nonsense this time of year. But I couldn't help wanting more out of it. 5/10
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