How Do You Know Review

• 17th Jan 2011

James L Brooks has become the undisputed king of the Hollywood dramady with epic hits such as Broadcast News, Terms of Endearment and As Good As It Gets. Having never been prolific it has been a long time since Brooks helmed an entire project himself, the last was six years ago with the disappointing Spanglish.

How Do You Know comes with an impressive cast list that includes Jack Nicholson teaming up with the new breed of Hollywood comedy that include Paul Rudd, Reese Witherspoon and Owen Wilson rounding out a name heavy collection of performers. These actors coupled with the legendary talent of Brooks should have led to something impressive to say the least.

The narrative of the film is divided between the desperate Rudd who has to deal with financial mismanagement at his father’s company, played by the demonic Nicholson.  Whilst the sports fanatic Witherspoon attempts to move beyond her fading career and the problem of dating the bubble headed Wilson who due to simply being male is paid millions for the same sports excellence.

The film attempts to connect these disparate, lonely lives against the backdrop of impending financial recession and the general sense of desperation permeating the modern world. Sadly it fails wholeheartedly and we are left with separate stories that seem made for different films saddled with a terrible script and performers who look as disconnected with the project as their characters are with each other.

Sad to see Brooks producing such tripe as this but all things must come to pass and perhaps his days of dramady genius are now behind himself and his audience.  Regretfully there is nothing to recommend here at all as every element is either poor or simply misfiring at best, which given everyone involved is a truly disgraceful.

Aled Jones