How Do You Know (2010)

[thatsjustgreat 0]

Terrible movie. I love Paul Rudd, and I like Reese Witherspoon, and I don't even mind Owen Wilson, but this movie is so bad. The characters have no redeeming qualities, and the plot is weak and jerky. Did the actors even read the script before they signed on to do it? I feel like they just used the 'eenie meenie minie moe' approach. Such a bad movie. You must review!

[Julia 477]

Agreed. I saw this movie on a boring plane ride, and it still couldn't keep my interest. Just terrible.

[JJJ23 0]

Third, this one's terrible and it has Nicholson as a real piece of shit father who expects his son to go to prison for him in what is a very dark main plotline for a rom-com.

[sillstaw 414]

If you guys do this one, be sure to mention that it cost $120 MILLION to make. (Although, according to Wikipedia, about $20 mil can be knocked off that figure once you figure in tax rebates. Which, obviously, makes it more sensible.)

[MannyGuzman 0]

I thought I was having a stroke. This movie made no sense.

 

Written and Directed by James L Brooks - (3 Oscars)

Starring: Witherspoon- (1 Oscar) , Nicholson- (3 Oscars) , Rudd, Wilson

 

All the star power in the world couldn't save this crapfest.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

WOW, I had completely forgotten about this one. That's really saying something, because I've worked at a theater for approximately forever, and I seem to remember every bullshit little thing that comes out. Did it come out around the holidays though? Those seem to be the most forgettable movies of that type, even if they do have someone like Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, or Meryl Streep in them. They're aimed at grandparents that force their families to take them to things.

[SlidePocket 707]

An insanely overbudgeted comedy ($120 million) that caused James L. Brooks to stop directing films so far.

[AbeFroman 70]

Besides Broadcast News, is there a good James L. Brooks film?

 

Terms of Endearment? Manipulative and overrated.

I'll Do Anything? Legendary trainwreck.

As Good As It Gets? Another meandering trainwreck in which no acts like a real human being.

Spanglish? Good Lord, another mess.

 

He might be a wonderful human being and mentor in the entertainment industry, but his track record in film is spotty at best.

 

Also, his worst tendencies have influenced Judd Apatow and latter day Cameron Crowe.

[buffalofran 3]

This movie was ridiculous. For a second I thought it was being intentionally absurd like the Paul Rudd Amy Poehler film "They Came Together" from the Wet Hot American Summer people. Then it slowly became apparent that, oh God, this terrible, disjointed acting is them playing the film straight.

So many inexplicable acting choices.

And the Nationals? Why was this set in DC? (I'm not complaining, but it's surreal to see your home team featured in a movie only 5 years after they were created.) Fun fact, according to a contemporary article, Owen Wilson's fictional $14 mill/yr pitcher's salary was more than any Nationals player was getting paid annually in 2010. I do love love love Owen Wilson's amazing bathroom kitted out with a drawer full of individual toothbrushes and a closet of pink Curly W loungewear for all the women he sleeps with so they don't have to make a walk of shame in their dress. Owen Wilson was perfectly cast here because he's the only dude who can believably play such a considerate lothario. 

All of this rambling to say - I did not understand how this could be such a bad film when just looking at the stars and premise. Paul Rudd + Reese Witherspoon had such great chemistry in Overnight Delivery and here there's nothing. Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson are acting in two different films. I'm so distracted that I didn't know any character names until like halfway through the movie. And there's so much overdescription of everything by the characters when nothing really happens in this film!

But my favorite piece of information about this ridiculous film, is this description of how Brooks came up with the plot: 

"Brooks began work on the film in 2005, wishing to create a film about a young female athlete. While interviewing numerous women for hundreds of hours in his research for the film, he also became interested in "the dilemmas of contemporary business executives, who are sometimes held accountable by the law for corporate behavior of which they may not even be aware.""

 

Perfect. Superb. I mean that just screams box office hit. Female athletes plus the "dilemmas of contemporary business executives". Really captures the zeitgeist of 2010.

[buffalofran 3]

I'm just getting to the end of this film and there's a damn potted plant installed in a revolving door. Wtf is this set design?

Also love that DC metro buses are an entire character in this film. 

And people aren't allowed to walk away from a dramatic moment without being interrupted and called back at least twice. Jesus Christ figure out how to end a scene Brooks.