How Do You Know Review

• 21st Jun 2011

What do you get when you combine accomplished comedy actors Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson and Paul Rudd with Simpsons writer James L. Brooks in the director’s chair and an appearance from screen legend Jack Nicholson? Quite frankly, let down, is the answer.

Witherspoon delivers an unconvincing and uneven performance as strong-minded, wilful softball player Lisa who only divulges her innermost feelings after a few pints of Guinness. It’s not far from the characters we’re used to seeing her play, but these strong tomboy tendencies make all the difference to her believability. Meanwhile, Rudd’s meek corporate-type character George is irritating and underdeveloped. Again, it’s no real departure from the awkward romantics we saw in the likes of I Love You, Man and Knocked Up. Owen, too, takes on the type of character he’s portrayed many times before in the role of lovable rogue playboy Matty, but he isn’t given enough to work with to make the character particularly likable or relatable. The actors reveal in the DVD extras that there’s a lot of ad-libbing here, but not enough to make the dialogue especially witty or dynamic.

Predictable from the outset, the plot is weak and contrived, building towards a climax that never really arrives. Lisa’s softball career is nothing more than a plot device and is largely forgotten once the premise is established. George’s spontaneous pursuit of Lisa after their awkward initial date evokes more confusion than empathy, and Matty’s inconsistent behaviour towards her is borderline ridiculous. The best (and only laugh out loud) scene of the film comes towards the end and has little to do with any of the protagonists – it’s when George’s devoted pregnant assistant Annie (Kathyrn Hahn) finally goes into labour and there’s a touching moment at her bedside (although it’s the kind of moment you expect to be bombarded with in this genre). Continuity is also questionable as there’s a sequence in which Lisa’s dress straps frequently disappear and reappear, which is highly noticeable in the absence of other distractions.

It seems the film-makers have heavily relied on the personalities attached to this project instead of concentrating on the film’s content. Even the sets and soundtrack are unremarkable. If you’re a fan of mild romcoms lacking in substance but rich in romance, you’re still likely to find this lengthy film dull and disappointing; and if you’re a fan of any of the actors involved, you’re likely to feel their talents have been wasted.

The equally uninspiring extras include a bloopers reel and Extra Innings featurette to take you behind the scenes. For something mindless to watch on a duvet day, this film suffices, but it fails to warm the heart or capture the attention the way that many similar, but better, films do.

Lauren Felton