So you like this new guy, and there have been multiple hang-out sessions. You feel a connection and you are sure he has too, but he hasn’t made any attempts to pursue you.
It’s ridiculous, right? You know he doesn’t have a girlfriend. You already checked his Facebook. Okay, let’s not lie, you’ve checked it multiple times just to make sure that his “relationship status” hasn’t been updated. Even your friends might do some additional stalking to help you out, and now they think there’s something wrong with him. That’s it. It has to be. There is absolutely no other explanation.
You just realized the truth, or at least your truth, because I’m sorry. I hate to be that voice reason for you, but it’ll never happen. He’s just not that into you.
Everyone experiences those times when the person you really like doesn’t have an inkling of interest in you. Your friends want to protect you, and they don’t want to hurt your feelings so they’ll say everything but the truth. Well, meet Gigi, played by Ginnifer Goodwin. She’s cute, upbeat and looks like the perfect girl to take home to your parents. But, when it comes to love, she’s borderline crazy.
Sadly, she’s doesn’t even get past the first encounter. Her close friend and married co-worker, Janine (Jennifer Connelly) tries to mediate between Gigi’s feelings and an optimistic outlook. However, she has her own problems when it comes to relationships and Gigi just can’t seem to follow all of her advice. Gigi meets a man named Alex, and his insight into the male psyche helps her on the road to finding a guy that will agree to a second encounter (or at least a call-back). Though, even with his help, the outcome still looks grim as he seems to be the only man calling her.
Then there’s Beth (Jennifer Aniston). She’s also a co-worker of Gigi’s, and her partnership with her significant other is perfect compared to Janine’s marriage. She wants to be married to boyfriend Neil (Ben Affleck); however, he just doesn’t want to be bound into the institution of marriage (especially when his close friend Ben groans about the commitment). In some way, all the characters are tied together, though they might not all be aware of it or even know each other.
From the title, the film strongly focuses on the advances and extremes a woman may take to find or keep love. The men seem to be the reason for the extreme actions taken in the movie. Some of the scenarios involving the women seem exaggerated. However, as the film progresses, the reasons the male characters have for their disinterest slowly deteriorate, and the women’s advances seem to be reasonable after all.
The movie is split into three different sections. With each section, a different couple’s relationship is insinuated to be at the forefront of the section. However, the film smoothly transitions to keep up with the lives of each couple or triangle. The only actress that loses any face time would be Drew Barrymore. Though she shines as the lovable girl next door as in all her movies, her minimal presence, compared to the other actors, doesn’t leave the film lacking in any sort of humor or romance.
All the antics and misfortunes create the perfect romantic comedy without any overt, detrimental clichés. Even with all the laughs, the film stresses the importance of honesty in that it will either solidify or break a bond.
So the next time you feel the urge to tell a friend, “He’ll call, I promise,” hold your tongue, rethink and instead try not to follow this girl rule.
Tell your friend to move on from this situation. She’s not the exception. She’s the rule.