New Line Cinema | 2009 | 129 mins | Rated PG-13
Based on the New York Times bestseller of the same name by Sex and the City writers Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, director Ken Kwapis’ (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) well-cast romantic comedy, He’s Just Not That Into You, made an impressive splash in theaters earlier this year. The film was delayed twice after principle photography wrapped in 2007, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise; the filmmakers got to tinker with it a bit and the studio was able to find a profitable date for its debut. That date turned out to be February 6th, a mere week before Valentine’s Day. Pulling in more than $165 million worldwide, He’s Just Not That Into You proved that, with the right stories and the right combination of actors, romantic comedies can be box office gold.
He’s Just Not That Into You examines the lives of nine individuals living in Baltimore: Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin), a bubbly, yet clingy woman searching for The One; Alex (Justin Long), a outspoken bar owner whose blunt but humest advice gives her some perspective; Neil (Ben Affleck), a soft-spoken romantic whose aversion to marriage may cost him the love of his life; Beth is (Jennifer Aniston), torn between Neil’s comfort and her desire for marriage; Janine (Jennifer Connelly), an ice queen obsessed with her home renovation; Ben (Bradley Cooper), a well-intentioned husband who begins to develop a wandering eye; Anna (Scarlett Johansson), a meek singer who becomes the object of his budding affections; Conor (Entourage’s Kevin Connolly), a former flame who wants her back; and Mary (executive producer Drew Barrymore), a newspaper editor struggling with the world of online dating.
Divided by chapter headings and interspersed with seemingly off-the-cuff anecdotes about relationships from passersby on the street, He’s Just Not That Into You is a sprawling, 129-minute film that attempts to encompass many of the different ups and downs of finding love in the twenty-first century. At the heart of it, they are all just trying to make their way in the world as best as they know how. Natural humor derives from the sharp writing and relatable situations rather than out of strained slapstick or one-liners, while the emotions felt are generally poignant and true.
However, He’s Just Not That Into You does have some glaring issues. The story involves too many characters and some of them barely registered on my radar. I think the film would have been stronger, had it focused solely on Gigi, Alex, Neil, Beth, Janine and Ben. And not to rain on the parade of folks who are real fans of the book and film but most of the stories have happy endings. In the real world, that only happens with a guy who’s really into you.
He’s Just Not That Into You features an attractive 1080p/VC-1 high definition transfer that, despite a few minor issues, looks fantastic. Kwapis and cinematographer John Bailey’s palette effectively shifts between gorgeous summer blues and rich autumn hues. Skintones are natural regardless of interior lighting or outdoor exposure, nighttime scenes offer up a series of thick shadows and deep blacks, and primaries are strong, enhancing the already-three-dimensional picture. Contrast is a bit hot anytime the camera boards Neil’s boat but anything less would undermine the authenticity of the sun bearing down on his back. Detail is impressive as well. Textures are soft here and there but any issues with clarity are erased upon examining the transfer as a whole. If I have any complaint, it’s that the aforementioned shadows are too thick, often absorbing background detail in one fell swoop. It isn’t overtly distracting per se, but elements like Connelly’s hair and an assortment of little black dresses, sweaters, and overcoats tend to merge with the darkest corners of a room and form amorphous inkblots.
Delineation issues aside, the image sparkles: banding is a no-show, source noise isn’t a factor, grain is faint and fitting, and artifacting is rarely an issue. Some minor edge enhancement makes its presence known (particularly during Conor’s open-house) but its brief appearances are fairly negligible. This is a solid transfer by Warner Brothers.
Warner’s Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track will satisfy anyone expecting the sort of rom-com sonics a film about nine chatty thirty and forty-somethings can possibly provide. Dialogue is crisp and intelligible, nicely prioritized, and effortlessly woven into the mix at large. And while busy street corners and crowded cafes are a tad lifeless compared to Alex’s bar (which takes advantage of the rear speakers), the soundfield is really quite immersive considering the abundance of hushed apartment buildings and neat-n-tidy offices. Pans are silky smooth, directionality is convincing, and LFE support injects a healthy amount of weight and presence into the proceedings. All in all, He’s Just Not That Into You sounds as good as I imagine it could. It doesn’t suffer from any glaring technical deficiencies, it handles everything tossed its way with ease and, aside from the inherent limitations of an uneventful, front-heavy soundscape, and it suits the tone of the film wonderfully.
There aren’t too many special features offered. However, what is here is presented in HD.
• Extended Character Vignettes (HD, 19 minutes): First up is a series of six scene extensions involving Beth, Neil, Gigi, Alex, Anna, Mary, Conor, Janine, and Ben. While a few seconds of these vignettes already appear in the film (just before the credits roll), fans will probably be happy to dig through their full cuts.
• Six Words that Make Up a Film (HD, 11 minutes): This short-but-satisfying behind-the-scenes featurette explores the genesis of the film’s title, the original novel, and its adaptation. Members of the cast and crew are also on hand to chat about men and women, their experience with the project, and their personal experiences with love and loss.
• Duet for Telephones (HD, 4 minutes): Director Ken Kwapis dissects the creation, scripting, and blocking of a scene. He discusses generating chemistry between two characters who are simply talking on the phone, and even compares excerpts from Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein’s screenplay with the final version of the scene that appears in the film.
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 14 minutes): Five deletions with optional director’s commentary. As far as I’m concerned, each one was wisely cut — particularly the exorcised subplot involving Anna’s self-centered mother — but anyone who enjoyed the film will enjoy spending more time with their favorite characters.
• BD-Live Functionality
Don’t forget, He’s Just Not That Into You is available On Demand.
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