'How To Be Single' - A story of how not to be a Rom-Com

'How To Be Single' is marketed liked a Rom-Com (Romantic Comedy) for this generation of single girls; instead it is more like a mash-up of every sitcom about single girls out, think '2 Broke Girls' or 'New Girl' or even 'Sex in the City', just not as funny.

It's certainly not the fault of the cast though; it is loaded with talent that includes Dakota Johnson who is always marvelous; Leslie Mann who proved to be comedic perfection in 'Knocked Up' and the always hilarious Rebel Wilson of 'Pitch Perfect' fame. You would think with an ensemble like that, you would have a sure hit.  No, the fault is not theirs, it rest squarely on a fairly dull script and the hapless directing of Christian Ditter.

Perhaps the movie would have been better served directed by a female director. After all, the movie is supposed to take a look at being single from the view of a woman; instead, it falls squarely into the same conventions of the genre with the dull male leads in them. The jokes are the same, the situations were the same and even the need for casual, constant sex is the same; just with women.  Somehow, this conventional look simply didn't fit the characters and seemed far too indulgent on the directors part. It was almost as if he were saying: "Look how evolved I am; I can have women tell penis joke."  You want to see empowered women in relationships try films like 'Knocked Up', 'She's the Man', '10 Things I Hate About You', or 'Whip It'; all have strong female characters, all are very funny and all buck the convention of the genre.

Do yourself a favor - the trailer has the funniest parts, watch that and go use Netflix or Amazon and catch one of the titles I listed, you'll thank me for it.  Leave this 2 star effort alone.