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“How to Be Single” can be thought of as a kind of cinematic Whitman’s Sampler: In order to balance out the pieces that don’t work, there are enough pieces that do work. And the word “pieces” is crucial here, because this romantic comedy about the dating adventures of young people in the big city feels like it is made up of a number of disparate parts that are only loosely tied together at the end.
Overall, it’s not that far removed from the insipid Garry Marshall ensemble comedies that are released around various holidays and other special occasions. (It’s certainly preferable to his 2010 film “Valentine’s Day,” which is especially appropriate on this Valentine’s Day.) One subplot in particular appears to be so disjointed from the rest of the story that it could have been removed entirely without making much of a difference to the overall story.
From a tonal standpoint, however, director Christian Ditter accomplishes a difficult task in balancing the film’s pervasive sleaziness with moments of genuine substance and heart. He also has a fantastic cast, which includes Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann, Jake Lacy, Damon Wayans Jr., and Anders Holm among others, which makes the whole experience far more enjoyable than you might expect.
“How to Be Single” is loosely based on the novel of the same name by Liz Tuccillo, co-author of “He’s Just Not That Into You.” The film follows a number of characters as they navigate romantic entanglements—or their valiant attempts to avoid them. At the beginning of the film, we see Johnson’s character, sweet and shy Alice, insisting to Josh (Nicholas Braun), her longtime boyfriend at Wesleyan University, that they should experience what it’s like to date other people before settling comfortably into a lifetime of monogamy together. The film follows Alice’s journey through college and beyond.
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Alice then moves to New York City, where she accepts a position as a paralegal at a prominent law firm. There, she meets and quickly develops a friendship with the brashly confident and unapologetically promiscuous Robin (Rebel Wilson), who takes Alice under her wing and instructs her on… how to be single. As a result, the title. She’ll have chance encounters with Tom (Anders Holm), the flirty party boy who owns a local bar, but she’ll also have a chance to meet handsome and successful single dad David (Damon Wayans Jr.) at an alumni mixer, which could lead to a more serious relationship.
In spite of the fact that Abby Kohn & Marc Silverstein (“He’s Just Not That Into You”) and Dana Fox (“Couples Retreat”) have previously produced films that didn’t inspire much hope, one of the most admirable aspects of the script is the way it judges none of the characters for their sexual choices. Robin, who proudly proclaims that her apartment is simply a place where she goes to shower in the morning after having been out all night, is having the best time of anyone in this movie—and of everyone in Manhattan, for that matter—and is having the best time of anyone in Manhattan. And, without giving anything away about the outcome of any of these storylines, it’s a breath of fresh air to discover that not everyone ends up happily married. Some people find themselves alone and content. Permutations and unpredictability are real possibilities in this situation.
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Alice’s sister, Meg (Leslie Mann), is a fiercely independent obstetrician who insists she doesn’t want a baby of her own—at least, not until she does—and the adorably goofy Ken (Jake Lacy), with whom she is reluctant to get involved because he is so much younger than she is. For those keeping score at home, yes, the fact that Johnson and Mann are 17 years apart but are supposed to be sisters is a little distracting; however, the two actresses also share several scenes together that are filled with genuine warmth and tenderness.
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This brings us to the one piece of the puzzle that doesn’t quite fit: a subplot involving Alison Brie as Lucy, who has scientifically dissected all of the online dating services in the hopes of finding the perfect man to be her husband. She’s a little bit of a preppy, Type A-cliché, which is on purpose—and is supposed to make her potential romantic connection with Tom all the more surprising and unexpected. In his bar, which is directly beneath her apartment building, she spends her entire existence surfing the internet and meeting up with dubious strangers.) To be sure, the fact that Brie manages to make this crazed-eyed character bearable is a testament to her likability as a person. Nonetheless, there isn’t much that connects her to the rest of the story, and as a result, she is treated as something of an afterthought.
I was thinking the same thing when Lucy shows up at Alice’s rooftop birthday party with yet another would-be soul mate (Jason Mantzoukas, who is delightfully odd as always), and I thought to myself, “How does she even know Alice?” They’ve never even had a single conversation with each other. Is it possible that everyone who hangs out at the bar received an Evite? That is the difficult part of telling a story with an ensemble cast and ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to shine. It would have been nice to have seen more of Wayans Jr. as well—although he does get one brief scene near the end of the film that is absolutely devastating—as well. (You will shed tears.) And it’s well-deserved.)
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But Johnson, a woman in her early 20s who questions both her loneliness and the need to be someone’s girlfriend, is at the heart of the film, serving as our sweetly relatable guide through a sea of big personalities. As in “Fifty Shades of Grey,” Johnson demonstrates a magnetic naturalism in front of the camera, as well as a keen sense of sly comic timing.
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Christian Ditter, on the other hand, demonstrates a surprising amount of artistic ability in depicting her journey: He creates the impression that we are witnessing a long, fluid process as Alice moves into her small Brooklyn apartment, piece by piece, over the course of the film. Even more surreal is the appearance of her as she descends a fire escape staircase to find a quiet moment alone during her birthday party, as if she is floating through the night sky.
“How to Be Single” takes place in a magical New York City full of stylish wardrobes and sprawling apartments, similar to the film “Sex and the City,” which will undoubtedly come to mind as you watch this. However, there are worse places to visit on a holiday weekend in February.
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