He's Just Not That Into You...And I'm Just Not That Into It

[justagirl2]

Posted: 2/7/09 at 3:00pm

Upon JerseyGirl's request, here we go.

I saw the movie last night (opening night for a chick flick is hell on earth, I swear). Obnoxious audience aside, I was looking forward to it: I read the book a couple years ago, and while a little too cut and dry, I found it entertaining.

Basic synopsis: an ensemble of 20 and 30-somethings live in Baltimore, struggle with the opposite sex, intertwine in each others' lives.

Ginnifer Goodwin (who I adore on Big Love, so don't get me wrong) plays one of the most exhausting, neurotic, annoying characters I've seen in a movie. And, unwisely enough, they have this insufferable character NARRATE the film...why? She makes women everywhere look completely ridiculous, and after ten minutes I didn't want to sit through a movie centered around her. She ends up, of course, in a completely unbelievable situation that is supposed to give "hope" to women everywhere who are like her. Yeah, right. If someone else doesn't kill them out of annoyance first.

The rest of the women act their parts decently enough, but none are really given any other dimension to their characters. That's not to say they don't try (and Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Connelly really do try), but most of the time everyone is falling short. Same with the guys, Justin Long especially (I will, however, give credit to Bradley Cooper for being a hot piece and making his character a little less one-note).

My biggest problem though--and I suppose I had this same issue with the book, but it bothered me more seeing it than reading it--was how basic everything was. Obviously, if a man doesn't want to marry you, he doesn't like you. Because it could never be that some people really DON'T believe in marriage. Nope. All men are the same, and these rules always apply (oh wait, unless there's an "exception"). The only single people at the end are--SPOILER--a cheater, an adulteress and a scorned wife. How inspiring to all of us who aren't dating someone at the moment.

Oh, and the funniest parts involve scene-break characters who aren't in the rest of the movie. Go figure. /end rant.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 2/7/09 at 3:38pm

I enjoyed the movie, it's definitely not a movie too take too seriously. Not the best movie by any means, but a good chick flick.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 2/7/09 at 4:27pm

I saw a review of it this morning on TV that was pretty bad.

[CMoore]

Posted: 2/7/09 at 5:50pm

I thought it was entertaining. I agree about the random people popping up with their love experiences. The two black women were the funniest part of the movie for me. Bradley Cooper was gorgeous :)

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 2/7/09 at 5:59pm

Go see Coraline instead.

[singinsilly]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 1:53am

the whole "grab yourselves some ribs and ice cream 'cus you've been dumped" nearly made me fall over laughing.

I enjoyed it. its a way of poking fun at ourselves for reading into every tiny detail in a relationship (or the hoping of one)

[faithzilla]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 7:29pm

I actually really loved it. I'm not usually a fan of chick flicks, but for some reason this one just clicked with me. I thought was really consistently funny.

And did anyone else notice Drew Barrymore's awful teeth? Who knew! Get some invisalign or something!

[theaterlover45]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 8:16pm

I noticed Drew Barrymore's teeth also! Every time she was on screen my eyes went to her teeth, they were so bad that it just made her all around apperance not so good.

[WesternSky2]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 8:55pm

I feel like the only person on earth who really genuinely enjoyed this movie. I saw a screening a few days before it opened, and wasn't expecting much more than a typical "chick flick" (hate that term!), but was really pleasantly surprised.

I have to disagree about Goodwin's character. I loved GiGi. Neurotic as she was, I thought her hopeful, if not slightly deluded, attitide towards relationships was nice to watch. Because it felt real. I felt badly for her when it was called for, rooted for her, and had to turn away when she was making a fool of herself - it felt true to life. Maybe because I've known girls like her, I don't know. I enjoyed her character a lot. And thought she was SO refreshing on screen (having never seen 'Big Love' before.)

I also think that this isn't a movie only for those in relationships - the ending is uplifting for those who found someone, and for those left "alone". I loved the bit about picking up the pieces and starting over, and loved Jennifer Connelley's bit at the end. Her story line with Bradley Cooper (mmmmmm) and Scarlett Johansson was probably my favorite.

Obviously it's not everyone's cup of tea... since the reviews have been awful. But I was really surprised by how much I liked it. I'd give it a chance.

[faithzilla]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 10:04pm

"I feel like the only person on earth who really genuinely enjoyed this movie."

Look two post above you! I loved it, too! :)

I liked GiGi most of the time...but there were moments when I felt she was overdone. No one in their right mind would have gone up to that man to clarify who was calling who! But for the majority of it I felt that her character, and all the other ones, were very real.

One thing that was interesting to me was that half the time I was rooting for Scarlet Johansson and the other half of the time I was rooting for Jennifer Connelley. I think this shows really great writing. I was definitely happy with the end result, though.

[justagirl2]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 10:12pm

That is one thing I'll give it, I was also rooting for Scarlett sometimes and Jennifer other times. I think that's where the most (and only) realism really was. I did see a lot of myself in Scarlett, though (not a good thing!), so that might have been part of it.

See, I've never known a girl as desperate and clueless as Gigi, maybe why I couldn't stand her. I feel like there are a lot of girls she was based off of, but no one is THAT bad (and if they are, I don't see how that's endearing)! I never bought Justin Long, either...in any incarnation of his character. I couldn't see this guy even being nice to her, let alone falling in love or whatever.

I didn't even take the movie seriously at all, it just was so annoying to me that I couldn't help but bitch!

[Becca4]

Posted: 2/13/09 at 9:49pm

I felt Gigi was a representation of many different people. I have known women who have done all the things she did but not someone who has done all of them.

As someone who has been cheated on - I didn't like Scarlett's character at all. It would have been different if she would have found herself involved without knowning he was married but she set out to get him. Doesn't excuse what a scum he was.

I loved the movie but I went with my best girlfriend and watched it at a movie tavern - drinking could have added to my enjoyment! Seriously though - it was just entertainment - not every movie is Oscar quality.