Think Like A Man. Directed by Tim Story. Starring Romany Malco, Gabrielle Union, Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good, Regina Hall and Terence J.
Rating: 6 (out of 10)
Self-help books can be dry or illuminating reads, depending on how your relationshipsatisfaction barometer is reading at the time.
Think Like A Man aims to jazz up dating advice by presenting four couples whose personal lives are turned around by stand-up comedian Steve Harvey's real-life dating advice book "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man."
Family Feud host Harvey appears in the film as himself, at times dispensing advice directly to the camera.
On the receiving end are four guys who are pretty satisfied with the way things are going; and four unhappy women looking to change the rules. We've got Zeke (Romany Malco), identified as The Player in Harvey's book; Non-Committer Jeremy (Jerry Ferrara) has almost convinced his girlfriend of nine years (Gabrielle Union) that she likes The Hobbit and doesn't mind sitting on a bong-stained couch.
Dominic (Michael Ealy) is a short-order cook with dreams of owning his own restaurant, which makes him The Dreamer. He worries that he's not a big enough earner for successful exec Lauren (Taraji P. Henson).
Meanwhile confirmed Mama's Boy Michael (Terrence J) can't seem to cut the apron strings and make time for single mom Candace (Regina Hall).
But newly divorced Cedric (Kevin Hart) has sworn off relationships lasting longer than one night, and is here purely for comic relief, and to narrate the story for viewers.
The women turn the tables when Harvey's book comes out. Suddenly, women like Mya (Meagan Good) implement a 90-day, no nooky rule, much to Zeke's chagrin. "I'm the original negro gigolo, the original nigolo," he protests. (Harvey cites Ford's 90-day probation policy as a model.) Kristen boxes up Jeremy's action figures and remodels the apartment, sweetly suggesting he get a real job.
The guys bitch and complain about the power shift during their weekly basketball games, and eventually get wise to the book. Once they score a copy they deliberately start playing into the women's hands, in order to get into their pants. "It was like taking a test you already had the answers to," gloats Cedric.
The people in question are ridiculously attractive, and don't look like they need dating advice from anybody.
There's lots of beefcake action: the only guy not sporting six-pack abs is the token white guy.
The film is corny, cutesy and fraught with clichés like "you are the last person I want to see before I go to sleep at night." And yes, Harvey's video advice does slow down the action when the story could progress on its own. Ditto Kevin Hart's occasionally invasive voiceovers. But somehow the characters are winning enough that we forgive the predictable arc of the script, and a decent percentage of funny zingers on race and relationships (courtesy of screenwriters Keith Merryman and David A. Newman) stick, so we are kept entertained.
After 90 minutes, however, the laughs wear thin, and the last half hour feels overlong.
Whether or not you believe that all dating woes can be solved by a book is another story; but sales of Harvey's book - and those of He's Just Not That Into You and the WASP-y The Rules - proves many of us are looking for answers.
