He’s just not that into you, is a 2009 movie directed by Ken Kwapis that’s based on the self-help book with the same name by Greg Behrendt (I don’t read self-help books so I haven’t read it, but please let me know if you did and what you thought). The movie has a star studded cast – Jennifer Connelly, Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johansson, Ginnifer Goodwin, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston and Justin Long.
It seems too jam packed with stars at times. Also, there are a lot of plot lines happening so it takes some concentration to remember who is dating who and what is happening where.
Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) lives in Baltimore. She misunderstands everything the men that she goes on dates with do, and spend days obsessing over men she had mediocre dates with.
After a boring date with Connor Barry (Kevin Connolly), Gigi goes a bit crazy, watching the phone constantly. She heads to the bar Connor mentioned he hangs out at, and meets Alex (Justin Long). They start becoming friends and Alex gives Gigi advice about men – sometimes harsh advice, but it is obvious that he is speaking the truth about guys, because he is one. She once again misinterprets his signals and starts believing that he is into her and that everything he does is to woo her. He gets angry and asks her why she didn’t listen to a word he said, to which she replies that at least she isn’t cynical and bitter like him.
Alex’s harsh words have the desired effect – Gigi starts becoming sensible about men and life, cancelling the drama she used to love creating for herself. Alex realizes that he is in love with Gigi and that he seriously messed up. Will he be able to win her affections back?
Another part of the movie focuses on Gigi’s co-worker Jeanine (Jennifer Connelly), who is having marital problems with Ben (Bradley Cooper). Married directly out of college, Jeanine and Ben are in a rut. They are redecorating the house and apart from that stress Jeanine is also constantly worrying that Ben is smoking again, although he always denies it.
Ben meets Anna (Scarlett Johansson) in a grocery store and they start talking. He is obviously attracted to her and initially tries to distance himself. She has absolutely no qualm about seducing a married man, comforting herself by the knowledge that they might be the perfect for one another. Anna is keeping Connor on the line by acting like she’s interested but never closing the deal.
Ben and Anna sleep together and Ben decides it’s time to leave his wife. He tells her that he cheated on her and she is heartbroken, and eventually decides that it is her fault. Jeanine heads to Ben’s office and they sleep together there but she doesn’t know that Anna is hiding in the closet and witnessing everything. Anna is furious with Ben and breaks up with him. Back home Jeanine finds Ben’s cigarettes and it is that, not his infidelity, that makes her lose it and toss all his clothes out of the house, with a note telling him she is divorcing him.
Anna starts a relationship with Connor but dumps him when he wants to move in with her. He meets Mary (Drew Barrymore), Anna’s friend and the woman who is helping him with advertisements, who is also very unlucky in love. They eventually start dating.
Beth (Jennifer Aniston) is another colleague of Gigi and Jeanine. She has hands down the best man out there, Neil (Ben Affleck). Their only issue is that he won’t marry her, even after seven years of dating, because he feels marriage is not necessary and will only damage their relationship. She leaves him when her younger sister gets married and realize that she will never get marriage out of him. As time goes by she realize that he is a wonderful guy and that she is lucky to have his love with our without a ring. She asks him back, assuring him that she now knows that marriage isn’t all that important when two people are really committed. Touched by her willingness to let the issue drop, he eventually proposes.
Rating: 6.5/10
I had a good time with this movie. There are so many cringe-tastic moments in here, mostly thanks to Gigi. She is the embodiment of a phase most girls go through – desperate and needy and embarrassing in their quest to find a date. Her evolvement is endearing to watch, and Ginnifer Goodwin brings her to life with finesse. Alex is strangely compelling as a guy who is a dog to women, but he knows it and accepts it. It seemed like fine justice that he falls for Gigi when she has moved on and that he has to run around to get her attention.
I had the most sympathy for Jeanine. Her husband is a douche – in fact this is one of the only times I’ve seen Bradley Cooper as such a loser. I had no sympathy either for Anna and how her love life went up in flames, because, sweetie; if he’s married he’s out of bounds no matter how cute he is.
Beth was a good character to show how even if your relationship is perfect, most people will always find something worth moaning about. I loved Ben Affleck’s character in here – he is the best guy of them all in He’s just not that into you.
This is a great movie to show to a friend who is acting like Gigi. There are a lot of truths being told and it is a great lesson to most people. It is a very girly movie so I don’t think a lot of guys are going to love it.
Life of this city girl 