There
were so many moments I appreciated in How
Do You Know. Expecting a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, I was pleasantly
surprised to find myself in new territory. Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd and
Owen Wilson pulled it together to make a pretty touching and heartfelt film;
one perfect for the holiday season.
Unlike
similar films before it, How Do You Know
tried to sidestep as many clichés as possible. A few still slipped in, but it
wasn't without purpose. Reese plays Lisa, a usually successful softball player
who learns that she doesn't make this year's cut. As she meets two completely
opposite men, Rudd and Wilson, she is faced with that age-old question of love.
Luckily,
Lisa is a worthy character of her own. She is strong enough to be independent,
but still struggles with the normal relationship issues. Reese gives her
character enough depth and quirky habits that you don't blame her for her
faults. Instead, you come to cherish Lisa and truly wish that she finds exactly
what she's looking for, even if she doesn't know what that is.
Jack
Nicholson plays the part of Paul Rudd's father well, and I enjoyed his moments
on screen. But the movie isn't without its bad parts. George (Rudd) has a
secretary, and friend, who is pregnant and downright awkward. There's only one
scene in which her character works, and all others are cringe-worthy. The
beginning was also super slow, and a few scenes simply added nothing to the
film. But with its other charming parts you can overlook these flaws.
Still,
the cast had enough chemistry to interchange dialogue and action that made How Do You Know an enjoyable film. It
doesn't attempt to give the audience all the answers, although it offers some
thought-provoking quotes. You get to witness the lives of three people as they
attempt to understand love and all that surrounds it. For all of us who have
ever been in a relationship, How Do You
Know provides a story we can appreciate.
