Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this mature romantic comedy is made up almost entirely of explicit conversations about sex and relationships. There are detailed analyses of sex acts, love-gone-wrong tales, and general complaints about couplehood. Women are referred to as "hos," men are sized up by their genitalia, and seductions are attempted. Though it aspires to confront stereotypes of men and women, the film winds up cementing them, which may be troubling even for older teens.
Families can discuss how men and women are portrayed in this movie. What gender stereotypes does it reinforce? Does it undermine any? Are men and women really as different as the characters say they are? Or are they much more similar than they appear? If so, how? Can you think of any movies that have portrayed men, women, and relationships more accurately? You can also talk about what happens when a couple breaks up. Do men and women handle it differently? How? And what roles do friends play when a couple separates?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: S. Jhoanna Robledo
Cuba Gooding Jr., we hardly knew ye. Fans hoping that the much-rumored "Oscar curse" -- which supposedly renders winners in the supporting categories hopelessly unable to attract good movie roles -- (see: Marisa Tomei) has finally worn off will be disappointed by WHAT LOVE IS.
Perhaps it's best to start by saying what it isn't. Though it's a comedy, it's not funny. Though it's supposed to be about love, it's not romantic. Though the premise is promising -- it's an exploration of the differences and, more important, the similarities between men and women -- it fails to deliver. Men are still from Mars, and women? They're stuck on Venus.
Tom Riley (Gooding) stops off at a bar for "liquid courage" to fuel his Valentine's Day mission -- proposing to his girlfriend, Sara (Victoria Pratt). He needs it: When he gets home, he finds two packed suitcases, an empty closet, and a "Dear Tom" letter from Sara. Later, a phone call reveals that she'll be back to pick up the last of her things. When Tom's friends show up, they're met not with a jubilant, soon-to-be-married pal, but a defeated man awaiting his soon-to-be ex's return. And when a group of women arrive at Tom's house unannounced, complications ensue. Will they all pair up? Will Sara take Tom back? Does he want her back?
It all sounds good -- on paper. But problems abound. First, Tom and Sara aren't seen together until the end of the movie, so it's hard to care that they're breaking up. Frankly, the odds seem stacked against Sara, who's nowhere for most of the movie. Second, ensemble comedies only work when there's chemistry among cast members. There's none to be found here, which is shame.
And that's just for starters. Other problems include the fact that instead of seeing things happen, viewers are told about things happening. (It doesn't help that there are hardly any scene changes; nearly everything unfolds at Tom's apartment.) Plus, everyone talks too much and too fast. The dialogue sounds so scripted and unnatural that it feels more like a play than a movie.
Want an example? Here's how the supposed break-up unfolds by phone: "That is totally unoriginal and completely devoid of information that would actually give me some insight as to why you're actually doing this," Tom screams into the receiver. "I've given you every ounce of my heart and soul. I've given more of myself to you than anybody else in my entire life. And now after three years you're just going to walk out?"
And still, the movie's list of faults doesn't end. There's also plenty of pontificating and over-the-top performances. Matthew Lillard's Sal -- Tom's cynical friend who's down on love -- is a low-rent Vince Vaughn. Andrew Daly's Wayne, the posse's token gay guy, is a reprehensible caricature. George (Sean Astin) is the standard-issue eco-hippie -- no surprise, he's sweet and sensitive. And Ken (director Mars Callahan in an acting turn) is the happily married guy. Ostensibly, he's the tempered voice of monogamy amid a chorus of misogyny -- too bad he has little of consequence to say.
Though the female characters' presence seems to promise that they'll get equal time to air their grievances and insight, they're mere foils, one-dimensional counterparts to the (relatively) two-dimensional men. Anne Heche is wasted as the quasi-demure Laura (Anne Heche, demure?), and Tamala Jones is uninterestingly vampy as Katherine. Only Gina Gershon as tough-cookie Rachel has substance, though not much.
And Tom? Gooding, whose gift lies in his boundless charisma and likeability, is unconvincing as the dumpee. His role is too reined-in, his talent tamed. You ache for him to run out on a football field, high-five Tom Cruise, and scream "Show me the money!" at the top of his lungs. But unfortunately, that's another, much better movie.
Viewers looking for a romantic ensemble film would be better served by Love, Actually.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentIncludes a gratuitous stripping scene in which random female characters gyrate around a pole, but no actual sex acts are portrayed. That said, there are very detailed discussions of oral sex technique and male genitalia, and lots of talk about male and female libido. Sample dialogue: "I could not get this man to go down on me if we were on the Titanic!" |
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ViolenceSal talks about flashing his gun to threaten romantic rivals and actually shows his weapon off when intimidating someone. |
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LanguageProfanity galore -- from the mild ("damn") to the oh-so-colorful ("f--k"). Women are called "bitches" and "hos," and men are "dicks." |
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Social BehaviorMale and female characters are written to type. The men are by turns macho, uncommunicative, and jaded. The women are uber-sensitive, lovesick, or manipulative. There's also lots of homophobic rhetoric. Underneath it all, though, everyone supposedly has a soft side. |
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CommercialismObvious product placements and non-sequitur mentions of brands like LensCrafters, Makers Mark whiskey, Hallmark, etc. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoLots. In the first few minutes, Tom downs two shots -- which is only the tip of the drinking iceberg. No drugs, but plenty of cigarette smoking. |
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