Two best friends find themselves on the prowl while teaching each other “How To Be Single”. Based on the novel of the same name by rom-com author Liz Tuccillo, The movie instills to the audience that there’s a right way to be single, a wrong way to be single, and then…there’s Alice’s way (Dakota Johnson). Roaming the big apple with her best friend Robin (Rebel Wilson), the two ladies live up the best that the night life has to offer. Without any commitments to weigh them down, the two are free for night after night of drunken debauchery and sexual experiences. New York City is full of lonely hearts seeking the right match, be it a love connection, a hook-up, or something in the middle. And somewhere between the teasing texts and one-night stands, what these friends have in common is the need to learn how to be single in a world filled with ever-evolving definitions of love. With experiences of good and bad to boot, the ladies learn a lot about guys and casual dating in modern times. Sleeping around in the city that never sleeps was never so much fun. “How To Be Single is rated R for Sexual content and strong language.
“How To Be Single’s” distorted view of single living cultures sets the precedent for a film that is completely the opposite of what female moviegoers will expect this weekend. If you are going to see this film to laugh out loud with your girls, you might be sadly disappointed. Most of the movie is presented with bad choice after bad choice, often creating heartbreaking consequences along the way for our many characters. What little comedic material there is in the film, did create some cute laughs along the way, but this is totally not the movie that the trailer advertised it to be.
The film’s rating is also something that is very puzzling because the R isn’t necessary. For it’s mature schtick, the film resorts mostly to toilet humor, most notably in the dialogue of Rebel Wilson’s character. More on her later. But the film’s language problem is barely noticeable with the occasional curse word just to remind the audience that this isn’t your typical rom-com. It all feels desperate for its tone, especially considering that there really is a sweet tale underneath all of this shallowness just waiting to get out.
When I mentioned the “Characters” earlier, I mean that there are plenty in this film. With Seven protagonists sharing screen time, the film feels like an ensemble piece similar to romantic genre bottom feeders like “New Year’s Eve” and “Valentine’s Day”. It doesn’t work, and with the exception of Leslie Mann’s story with Jake Lacy, every layer of these merging lives feel uninteresting and one of those “Anything can happen in New York cliches”. Most of the cast are mind numbingly shallow, and their stupid decisions create improbable effects that serve as nothing more than a convenient plot device. Dakota Johnson continues to take roles that don’t exactly bring out the best in her performances. She showed in 2015’s “Black Mass” that she has the ability to deliver with emotion, but “Single” is two steps back in a so far ineffective career. Most of her dialogue is presented in a monotonous mumbling that makes her character sound wimpy as opposed to a strong woman that the movie needs. Rebel Wilson is utterly detestable. Considering this actress has played the same character in every movie, I think it’s finally time for a change. Her outragious line deliveries have long expired from their fresh dates, but it’s in this movie where that realization hits the hardest. Her character is opposite from Johnson because she serves as the party animal of the single life. She drinks a lot and sleeps with anything that moves without suffering any of the consequences. To add even more, her character invites three of Johnson’s exes to a pregnancy party for Johnson’s sister (Mann) just for the thrill of it. And THIS is supposed to be best friend material in this world. Then there’s Alison Brie’s character Lucy. Lucy’s single life experience proves to be the psychotic one, as she plans out everything in a relationship from day one. This girl knows where she will marry, how many kids she will have, and what pictures go into what albums. I’m not saying I don’t know women like this, but that doesn’t make it any easier to enjoy them.
If there’s any saving grace to the cast, it’s in the surprisingly heartfelt chemistry of Leslie Mann and Jake Lacy’s story arc. This is Mann’s best performance ever, and a lot of that has to do with her bubbly personality being turned down to five. Her awkward reaction responses with the charasmatic Lacy is everything that this film should’ve been shooting for. Lacy has the smile and charm of a ballroom era actor, and a tastefully clean comic side that leaves the sweetest laugh with every heartfelt moment between he and Mann. These are the two who I wish the film would’ve focused on for a majority of the 105 minute run time, but sadly there story is a supporting one.
The film’s artistic decisions in script outline, as well as camera work left me with a hit AND miss taste. The movie is pretty well paced and entertaining enough to where I wasn’t ever checking my watch, but it does kind of fall off during the film’s rushed third act. The camera work is also framed quite beautifully considering there is a lot going on in the backgrounds of most of these scenes. The problem I had came in the close, intimate personal shots that were presented in the handheld motion. Why they decided on this style of shot for the close ups is beyond me because it becomes very distracting, and often times feels like someone holding a camera with one hand while freezing in twenty degree weather.
Overall, “How To Be Single” doesn’t offer enough of a fresh outlook for a party of one. Coming from someone who is thirty one and single, I found many of the lifestyles and personality traits of the characters very dishonest to the kinds of thoughts that go through a single person’s thought process. With seven different points of view, everybody feels miserable, and there is never a refreshing thought to think that maybe some people are fine with living this way. It takes a brave chance on its dramatic subverts, but often falls flat emotionally on a shallow presentation.
5/10