Film Review #5

                The 2012 romantic comedy Think Like A Man is a juggernaut. I haven’t laughed this much since watching 21 Jump Street and 50/50. Tim Story directs an all-star cast of actors- Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Terrence Jenkins, Taraji P. Henson, Romany Malco, Gabrielle Union, and Gary Owen. The laughs are as big as the ensemble cast! I promise, from start to finish you will be in stitches.

                Think Like A Man centers around 6 close friends. Each man represents an archetype: Dominic the dreamer (Ealy), Zeke the player (Malco), Michael the mama’s boy (Jenkins), Jeremy the non-committer (Ferrara), Bennett the happily married man (Owen), and Cedric the divorcee (Hart). The film offers a glimpse into all of their personal relationships. Dominic, Zeke, Michael, and Jeremy all encounter problems after their girlfriends read Steve Harvey’s new book Act Like Lady, Think Like A Man. The rules of dating change radically. The women strategically require their boyfriends to wholeheartedly commit to them. The game changes when the men find out that they are the casualties of Mr. Harvey’s book. And so the game of one-upmanship begins!

This cast is perfect

                In my opinion, Kevin Hart and Zeke earn the majority of the laughs. Their comedic delivery is spot on. Dominic’s performance is charming. You can see the sadness in the young dreamer’s eyes when his girlfriend dumps him for the successful C.E.O. she previously dated. Meagan Good gives a noteworthy performance too. All of my expectations were filled and then some. I was expecting to watch a film that was going to be ‘just okay’.  In the end, I couldn’t ask for more from any of the actors. I thought they did a tremendous job, especially when you realize that they all have to share the spotlight. After all the film puts major focus on 9 characters! The music definitely enhanced the setting and themes of the film. The songs are very modern and perfectly placed. “Tonight” by John Legend and “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars are standouts.

                The director chose to use a narrator (voiced by Kevin Heart). I thought this was a wise choice because of Mr. Hart’s exaggerated voice and strong comedic delivery. He told the story well and conveyed the thoughts of the men (as a collective) great. The close-up shot technique was used whenever our characters were heated or blue. The director’s establishing shots were breathtaking. The views of Los Angeles during night and midday were magnificent.

                My decisive factor for going to see this film has to be the humor. Your funny bone is going to get tickled during this movie….. A lot! But please don’t worry. While the actors are comical there are serious moments. It’s not complete nonsense. After all the focal point of the film is love and relationships.

8.5 out of 10