Three out of
Five stars
Running time:
129 mins
Likeable romcom, enlivened by a strong cast and a decent script, though it's still 30 minutes longer than any romcom has a right to be.What's it all about?Based on the popular bestseller, which itself grew out of a single line in an episode of Sex And The City, He's Just Not That Into You stars Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly and Ginnifer Goodwin as three Baltimore work colleagues with relationship problems that stem from trying to read the signs of a relationship.
Beth (Aniston) has just thrown out her partner of seven years (Ben Affleck as Neil) because she mistakes his resistance to marriage for a sign that he's not committed to her; Janine (Connelly) is becoming increasingly suspicious of her husband Ben (Bradley Cooper), but is unaware that he's falling for a girl he met at the supermarket (Scarlett Johansson as Anna); while terminally single Gigi (Goodwin) obsesses over every guy she meets (including Kevin Connelly as Conor), but finds herself captivated by the no-nonsense he's-just-not-that-into-you advice she gets from Conor's best friend, Alex (Justin Long).
The GoodThe cast are excellent, particularly Ginnifer Goodwin, who's sweet and funny (if a little crazy) as Gigi and executive producer Drew Barrymore (as Anna's best friend Mary), who has a very funny speech about dating in the modern era. In addition, Affleck and Aniston have surprisingly decent chemistry, while Scarlett Johansson is almost painfully sexy as Anna, though the film criminally wastes supporting cast member Busy Philipps, as she's only in two scenes.
The GreatIt's fair to say that the film sticks quite closely to the usual romcom cliches, although it still produces a couple of surprises - for example, the 5-4 girl-boy ratio tells you someone is going to end up alone, but it might not be who you first think.
Worth seeing?In short, He's Just Not That Into You ticks all the right romcom boxes, thanks to an attractive cast (though perhaps male audience members get a better deal in that respect) and a decent script. Worth seeing.
Film Trailer
He's Just Not That Into You (12A)