Making non-fiction entertaining has to be more difficult than adapting a work of fiction. Yet it seems most Hollywood films-whether large or small scale-always include an obligatory emotional component usually in the form of a romance. Think Like a Man doesn't veer far from this general formula, and in the process alleviates the fresh insight we'd hoped for.
So is this romantic comedy entertaining? Sure, but as with other highly anticipated, overly hyped releases, fails to deliver any real substance. If you want to know how men actually think,read Steve Harvey's 2010 book "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,"on which the film's based. The comedian/actor/radio host and author does a much better job at laying out the premise chapter-by-chapter. Then again isn't the book always better than the movie?
Despite the fact that the NY Times bestselling self-help was read by scores of females, no doubt fans of his personal advice segment heard daily on the syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show—the film's approach flips delivery of Harvey's intended ideological route almost entirely.
Three of the specific types represented include: the Mama's Boy, the Non-Committer,self-proclaimed Playa and the recently divorced friend with a jaded view of committed relationships, although he's not being truthful about the feelings he harbors for his domineering ex-wife.
Fellow actor and stand-up Kevin Hart infuses the comic relief into the ensemble cast. The decisive spin adopted in creating the multi-faceted storyline, which weaves Harvey's words into a cohesive screenplay revolving around the characters, shifts from a woman's perspective to a man's. And unfortunately, the whole point of females getting an insider's view into the male psyche gets lost in the shuffle. The book provides serious life strategies for women rather than a common thread of interwoven scenarios of men reacting to how they think women think who've read Harvey's book.
Ultimately, the screen adaptation's a lot less complicated than it sounds. Nonetheless, you won't really learn how a man thinks ladies. Harvey appears on screen giving input, but not enough to make his presence effective. He also wouldn't advise women to definitively follow their hearts.
So is this romantic comedy entertaining? Sure, but as with other highly anticipated, overly hyped releases, fails to deliver any real substance. If you want to know how men actually think,read Steve Harvey's 2010 book "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,"on which the film's based. The comedian/actor/radio host and author does a much better job at laying out the premise chapter-by-chapter. Then again isn't the book always better than the movie?
Despite the fact that the NY Times bestselling self-help was read by scores of females, no doubt fans of his personal advice segment heard daily on the syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show—the film's approach flips delivery of Harvey's intended ideological route almost entirely.
Three of the specific types represented include: the Mama's Boy, the Non-Committer,self-proclaimed Playa and the recently divorced friend with a jaded view of committed relationships, although he's not being truthful about the feelings he harbors for his domineering ex-wife.
Fellow actor and stand-up Kevin Hart infuses the comic relief into the ensemble cast. The decisive spin adopted in creating the multi-faceted storyline, which weaves Harvey's words into a cohesive screenplay revolving around the characters, shifts from a woman's perspective to a man's. And unfortunately, the whole point of females getting an insider's view into the male psyche gets lost in the shuffle. The book provides serious life strategies for women rather than a common thread of interwoven scenarios of men reacting to how they think women think who've read Harvey's book.
Ultimately, the screen adaptation's a lot less complicated than it sounds. Nonetheless, you won't really learn how a man thinks ladies. Harvey appears on screen giving input, but not enough to make his presence effective. He also wouldn't advise women to definitively follow their hearts.