Thinking about Think Like a Man

I tend to have a similar reaction to films featuring large black casts. My eyes and heart well with glee as I see the attached talent. I discover a bit more about the behind-the-camera talent and become even more enthused upon seeing the the dearth of color balancing the often unven distribution of power within in Hollywood. But then comes the moment where I see the trailer. Then comes the "yeeesh." You can guess how I felt about the Think Like a Man trailer.

The self-help book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man debuted a couple years ago to rapturous reception. Women were starving for Steve Harvey's inside trek into the mind of men. (Ladies, we're not that complicated; all we want is a woman to bring us a sandwich. There, you didn't have to pay $15.00 on Amazon for that!). The book slayed on the New York Times bestseller list, and, as these things go, producers snatched up the chance to repackage it and serve to the masses. Rainforest Films, responsible for Stomp the Yard, and the Trois series takes up the task of realizing Steve Harvey's self-help book targeting women who just can't catch a man. The film also utilizes the talents of Tim Story, a fairly bankable comedic director who lensed Barbershop, Taxi, and Fantastic Four. The evidence of their combined efforts to bring this vision to life lies in part below.

Unfortunately, my ambivalence continues. Firstly, let me highlight the concept which is more intriguing in its approach than in itself. A property like a self-help book screams for a paint-by-numbers look at the book's bullet points. To its credit, TLM has an intriguing frame of the source material. These characters exist in a world not unlike the audience, where Steve Harvey releases a Holy Grail for women who are tired of putting up with the "men of this generation." The play with reality could possibly ground the material into a reality closer to the audience's, while using the film's perspective play to preserve the book's inflaming position as a self-help guide to net a man. This frame allows the book to inhabit a position within the universe that the audience and the film's characters can agree or disagree with. It invites a dialogue with the material, an effective tool to draw the audience in. Potentially, the film, rather than indoctrinating Steve Harvey's point of view on relationships, could serve as a jumping-off point for the conversation Jane and Joe have at the dinner after the movie. Or Tyree and Tisha. Or Juan and Daniela. Movies are meant to be talked about and overanalyzed. So the film gets points for that

At face value, Think Like a Man appears like an affirmative action rehash of movies like He's Just Not That Into You, Valentine's Day, and the upcoming New Year's Eve.  It's a battle of the sexes comedy featuring Kevin Hart who jesters his way in and out of the lives of the central characters. Lots of stars who aren't really expected to do much except fall in love, nail a couple of slickly timed  lines, and look sexy while doing it. I'd imagine that's how a script like this was pitched for distribution. In today's distribution scope, having an all black cast doesn't really move the butts into seats. But it does have the New York Times bestselling crest which shows a bit of financial validation ala He's Just Not That Into You. Given how comically stale those  multi-plotted, big casted holiday movies are I can't expect much out of it. But then again, I'm only one butt, and there are plenty of other butts that like those types of intellectually shallow, and wit deficient exercises.

There is only one fair way to gauge a film; one must judge it on what it sets out to do. With that in mind, I believe TLM is genuinely selling what it's advertising, He's Just Not That Into You, just a shade darker. Hopefully, the film can engage some intriguing dialogue on the self-help book's practicality in real life, and not just serve as an empty hour and a half of cheeky battle of the sex antics. I have more faith in it being the latter.