How on earth did “He’s Just Not That Into You” get greenlit?
There’s no wacky premise and neither Kate Hudson nor Katherine Heigl are anywhere to be found.
That sound you hear is a film critic exhaling with relief.
“Into You,” based on the popular self help book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, examines the oft-absurd social mores that dictate how we meet and fall in love in modern America.
It doesn’t burrow down as deep into the issue as some might like, but it’s brisk storyline and front-loaded cast more than set it apart from rom-com boilerplate.
The film, out this week on DVD, follows a group of quasi-connected Baltimore residents trying to find love or keep the love they already have.
Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin of “Big Love”) gets the juiciest role here, that of a frazzled singleton who can’t figure out how to meet Mr. Right. She’s pathetic, to be sure, but Goodwin manages to make sheer desperation slightly appealing. Emphasis on slightly.
Gigi’s pal Janine (Jennifer Connelly, stern as ever) is blissfully married to Ben (Bradley Cooper), but Ben has his eye on a young beauty named Anna (Scarlett Johansson). The happiest couple of all may be Beth and Neil (Jennifer Aniston and Ben Affleck) who have dated for seven years but have no plans to marry.
Or so Neil would like to think.
The film also gives us an exasperated single who works the web to meet her beaus (Drew Barrymore) as well as an impressive Justin Long whose dating expertise has insulated him against actually caring for someone.
The stories weave tightly together without any overtly forced coincidences, and the performances are remarkably consistent – and effective. Even Affleck, whose screen time is as limited as his range, finds the beating heart beneath his outwardly cool character.
Best of all, “He’s Just Not That Into You” doesn’t insist every plot strand end with rainbows and unicorns. Love is hard, and the film never says anything different.
(Photo: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Connelly support each other in matters of the heart in “He’s Just Not That Into You.”)
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