How to Be Single is just the latest ensemble rom-com that doesn’t quite work with an unfocused story and message, however the cast turns in the best performances as possible given the material, though it belongs among the ranks of Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve if not a slight step above them.
How to Be Single
(2016)
REVIEW NAVIGATION
The Movie | Special Features | Video Quality | Audio Quality | Overall
Genre(s): Romance, Comedy, Drama
Warner Bros. | R – 110 min. – $29.98 | May 24, 2016
Date Published: 05/18/2016 | Author: The Movieman
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THE MOVIE – 2.0/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: There’s a right way to be single, a wrong way to be single, and then… there’s Alice (DAKOTA JOHNSON). And Robin (REBEL WILSON). Lucy (ALISON BRIE). Meg (LESLIE MANN). Tom (ANDERS HOLM). David (DAMON WAYANS JR.). New York City is full of lonely hearts seeking the right match, be it a love connection, a hookup, or something in the middle. And somewhere between the teasing texts and one-night stands, what these unmarrieds all have in common is the need to learn how to be single in a world filled with ever-ending definitions of love. Sleeping around in the city that never sleeps was never so much fun.
How to Be Single is the latest adaptation from a self-help novel following the likes of He’s Just Not That Into You and What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Technically speaking, Single isn’t a bad movie per se as it looks pretty damn good, though director Christian Ditter does utilize angled shots a tad too much, and the performances weren’t half bad, but the writing is the film’s downfall. Not only is it a muddled message but it’s unfocused. While we primarily follow Dakota Johnson’s character, we move in and out of the lives of too many side characters such as Damon Wayans’ David who enters the picture more than halfway through and is given a wife that died two years earlier as well as a daughter. Add him to Lucy who relies more on algorithms to find a man; Tom, owner of a bar that is the center of most of the ensemble, who is a professional single man; Meg played by Leslie Mann is Alice’s older sister and one day decides she wants a baby, becomes pregnant via donated sperm and doesn’t want to tell her newest beau about it; Josh (NICHOLAS BRAUN) is Alice’s former boyfriend recently engaged to another woman though he’s not totally over his ex; and Rebel Wilson playing, well, Rebel Wilson.
The romance is lacking, the jokes generally don’t land, though I do remember chuckling a time or two but can’t remember what it was and this is merely a forgettable ensemble film that might be a step above Gary Marshall’s Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve but that’s really not saying a whole lot. For me, I spent the bulk of the time more interested in figuring out what song melody being played than anything the plot had to offer… Directed by Christian Ditter and inspired by Liz Tuccollo self-help book, How to Be Single isn’t what I’d call a terrible movie but merely passably bad. I suppose if movies like Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve and/or Mother’s Day appeals to you, this might be entertaining, otherwise this is at best something one can wait to view on Netflix or later on TBS. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 2.0/5 |
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No slip cover on this release but inside is a Digital HD redemption code. The Pros and Cons of How to Be Single (5:10; HD) is basic behind-the-scenes featurette with interviews by the cast talking about their characters played over scenes from the movie. Rebel Rabble: A Look at Rebel Wilson (4:07; HD) – This is a look at Wilson and her party-girl character, Robin. The Best Idea Wins!: The Humor of How to Be Single (6:05; HD) examines how they filmed on the fly, changing the script as they went along and how the writer and director worked together. Deleted Scenes (8:05; HD) – We get a handful of scenes that were removed for whatever reason, but likely due to pacing issues, though there are extra scenes with Wayans’s character. Rounding things out is a Gag Reel (1:55; HD) and Rebel Wilson Outtakes (7:37; HD). |
VIDEO – 4.5/5 |
| Warner Home Video learns How to Be Single bringing it onto Blu-ray presented in its original 2.40 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer. As expected, colors are vibrant – which one of better parts of this movie – the cinematography looks fantastic. Detail looks sharp and it is a generally clean looking transfer, free of artifacts and aliasing. |
AUDIO – 4.25/5 |
| The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track takes full advantage of the plethora of Top 100 songs sprinkled throughout the film, along with the clear dialogue levels. The track isn’t anything amazing but there’s some decent depth considering the genre and at least makes it a satisfying experience for the ears. |
OVERALL – 2.5/5 |
| Overall, How to Be Single is just the latest ensemble rom-com that doesn’t quite work with an unfocused story and message, however the cast turns in the best performances as possible given the material, though it belongs among the ranks of Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve if not a slight step above them. The Blu-ray released by Warner offers good video/audio transfers and a forgettable selection of special features. |
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.