[Goth’s Pick]

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. This 2000s rom-com has a very interesting story structure which follows a sizeable cast (who are all somehow connected) throughout their romantic endeavors and relationships. I liked the weird, spiderweb story structure, and I enjoyed seeing all sorts of different relationships and interactions for different characters, such as: the long-term couple who still aren’t married, the married couple who shouldn’t be married, women who just seem to be single no matter what they do, as well as a few situationships and flirtationships.

The fun part of this movie comes down to this: straight people are absolutely insane.

If you are straight, you will probably watch this movie and be moved by the storylines, probably relate too hard to the tribulations, and think to yourself, “yeah, it’s crazy out there.”

However, if you are not straight, you will probably spend the bulk of the movie thinking, “oh my god, why did they do that/why did they say that? Straight people have no idea how to flirt.” Add a bottle of wine and some good pals, and He’s Just Not That Into You becomes a girls’ night, tea-spilling drama-party that’s tons of fun.

The romantic communication this movie centers around is extremely convoluted, indirect, confusing, and at times downright stupid. Gigi, our hopeless romantic who scares men away and “can’t take a hint” is our vessel for learning about this secret language everyone seems to know, and she begins studying under Justin Long’s suave bar manager Alex, as he explains to her this complicated series of rules, phrases, and gestures that straight people must know in order to be able to successfully navigate the world of courting.

Apart from the straight-people shenanigans, there is still much to enjoy. The characters are well-built and realistic. The cast is stellar—every new scene, I was shocked to see a familiar face. The acting performances were quite genuine, and especially the characters in the affair storyline were so stellar and well-done that it truly hurts to watch.

The best part of the film and its many stories for me are Beth and Neil. The long-term unmarried couple of this film, on a surface level, epitomizes the concept of “if he wanted to, he would,” but if you have been in a long-term relationship and you are actually paying attention, it’s clear that it’s more than that. Beth and Neil prove that proper communication, dedication, and genuine love and care for each other is what makes long-term relationships work out. I could go into an entire essay about how they’re a rare realistic example of a healthy long-term relationship in straight romance media, but I’ll leave you, reader, with the pleasure of watching it for yourself.

Rating: I liked this movie.

My best friends and I (known affectionately as Goblin House) have a regular movie night where we all sit down together and watch a movie one of us has chosen. Most of these reviews will come from a Goblin Movie Night, so they will be tagged with the nickname of the Goblin who picked the movie.