How Do You Know - Movie review

How Do You Know
U/A; Romance / Drama
Dir: James L Brooks
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd
''

WHAT'S IT ABOUT: When does it strike you that you're in love? At first sight or after months and months of getting the hang of being around each other all the time? How do you know that it is love at all? Well this film goes about trying to answer those questions.



Lisa (Reese) is a softball player who has been 'cut' from the national team and is trying to pick up the pieces of her life, considering the game was 'her life'. There's the affable playboy in her life, a douche baseball player named Matty (Wilson), who wants to be a bigger part of her life.
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Then there's a corporate type nice guy George (Rudd), who's going though a very rough patch, with his girlfriend leaving him over his legal troubles and impending bankruptcy.

Lisa and George meet over lunch and don't exactly hit it off immediately. She does make an impact on him though and he finds his reason to live and be happy. However, she's committed to Matty and couldn't dream of cheating on him. Who finds love and with who?

WHAT'S HOT: The film has an inherent old-world charm that you can't quite put your finger on. Owen Wilson is a pleasure to watch. Reese brings her character's indecisive vulnerability to the fore. The characters themselves leave a lot to be desired.

WHAT'S NOT: Despite her sensible gal exterior, Lisa seems utterly confused in all matters and sufficiently depressed about most things. You do not feel a connection with her. The same goes for Matty. He's so busy being an author-backed asshole that he can't see beyond his own narcissistic self. Nicholson as George's dad Charles seems so sedated, you begin to ask yourself, 'is this the same guy?' That being said, the film's leisurely pace kinda is grating since it seems to be going nowhere.

WHAT TO DO: Patience is a virtue few people possess. Are you one of them? If yes, this film is right up your alley.