First Hit: Overall, I really liked this film because it does tell a truth about relationships: If a guy doesn’t contact you, he’s not interested and the converse is true as well; a woman will let you know they are interested.
This film is loaded with big name female talent with Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, and Drew Barrymore. Outside of Ben Affleck, the men’s talent, which performed admirably, consisted of lesser known actors.
However, the primary vehicle of this film is Ginnifer Goodwin who plays Gigi an open, forever hopeful and radiant girl who is looking for love. She is charming, available, and maybe a little too ready to the men she meets. She sees the good side in each of them, lets them know she is interested but they just don’t call her back.
Her anxiousness around getting called is displayed in a number of scenes of her watching and checking (to see if it still works) her phone and they are truthfully funny. She is getting advice from her co-worker, a married woman, named Janine (Played by Connelly) whose marriage isn’t working well but hides it well under a matter of fact and busy life.
Gigi finally gets some good men’s coaching from Alex (played by Justin Long) who simply tells her what the signals are and helps her to see things more clearly. Johansson does a good funny and realistic turn as Anna, a woman who hopes the married man (Happens to be Janine’s husband) she met is going to leave his wife for her.
Aniston and Affleck (playing Beth and Neil respectively) do a good turn as a couple struggling with different ideals around the form of a committed relationship. Barrymore is funny and really good in a lesser role.
Goodwin was excellent in her role as a forever hopeful person reaching for and learning about relationships. All the other actors were good as well and the direction Ken Kwapis was very good as demonstrated by keeping this 2+ hour film moving along, and interesting. The biggest downside for me were the 4 or 5 breaks (like chapter headings) where the screen goes black and they there is a statement indicating what issue will be addressed next. The film didn’t need it and only disengaged me from the well thought out script.
Overall: I was surprised by how well this film flowed and the points about relationships it made.