This 2016 rom-com on Netflix is a must-watch, whether you’re falling in or out of love.
The Big Picture
- Dakota Johnson shines in
How to Be Single
by portraying the character of Alice as relatable and authentic as she navigates the independence of being single. - The film portrays the ups and downs of break-ups through the stories of various characters, showing the complexities of romantic relationships.
-
How to Be Single
is not just a rom-com but also a breakup movie that explores the beauty of being single and finding oneself.
Actress Dakota Johnson is known for her dry humor and quick wit, which people can see in various interviews (such as the infamous “Actually, no, that’s not the truth, Ellen” video). Johnson has turned in several brilliant performances in more serious fare, such as her collaborations with director Luca Guadagnino: the horror remake Suspiria and the drama A Bigger Splash. However, one of the actress’ most underrated performances comes in the rom-com/breakup comedy, How to Be Single, as it puts her natural flare for dry humor on full display. How to Be Single is not your average rom-com because instead of focusing on finding “the One,” it revolves around Johnson’s Alice finding herself after breaking up with her long-term boyfriend. While there is still tons of traditional romance to be found in the film, it’s more about gaining independence in your 20s and the fun that comes from being single. And it’s all held together by Johnson’s relatable and hilarious performance.
How to Be Single
A group of young adults navigate love and relationships in New York City.
- Release Date
- January 21, 2016
- Director
- Christian Ditter
- Cast
- Dakota Johnson , Alison Brie , Leslie Mann , Rebel Wilson , Jake Lacy , Anders Holm
- Runtime
- 95
- Writers
- Dana Fox , Abby Kohn , Marc Silverstein , Liz Tuccillo
- Studio
- Warner Bros.
Dakota Johnson Embodies a Relatable Character in ‘How to Be Single’
How to Be Single kicks off as recent college grad Alice suggests to her boyfriend Josh (Nicholas Braun) that they take a break so they can find themselves individually. Alice expresses that she hasn’t experienced being single in a long time, and she wants to know what it’s like to see if it’ll change her perspective as she moves to New York City. Right after, Alice starts a paralegal job and quickly strikes up a surprising friendship with the office happy pill named Robin (Rebel Wilson) — an outgoing woman who teaches Alice how to properly let her hair down and enjoy the wonders of not being tied to anyone. Alice also has an older sister Meg (Leslie Mann), an OB/GYN who wants a child of her own, something she is seen pursuing via a sperm donor. There’s also Lucy (Alison Brie), who just spends most of her time taking advantage of a bar’s free Wi-Fi and looking for “the One.” These four women go on a journey of unlikely friendships, failing dating stages, one-night stands, and questionable decisions. To boil it all down, the movie shows the complicated world of singledom.
While acting in rom-coms often doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, it’s no easy feat to make these characters believable and worth investing in. One must have the right amount of natural charm to make their characters work. Without it, the film can come off as forced and unrelatable. For instance, When Harry Met Sally is still often regarded as the best rom-com. Why? Because Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal‘s performances are electric both together and separately.
‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ Wouldn’t Work Without Dakota Johnson
Cooper Raiff’s film finds its coziness in his co-star.
While Johnson does have compelling scenes with several male characters, she shines on her own as Alice goes on her path to independence. Johnson makes Alice incredibly relatable and authentic, warts and all. She makes awful jokes sometimes, but they only add to her character’s allure — and it works for a man she meets at a networking event, David (Damon Wayans Jr.), whom she ends up dating for a few months, though it ends in heartbreak. This becomes a setback for Alice yet again, and she does what a real person would likely do — she sulks for a few days, drinks, and repeats. Johnson makes sure to show the messy, vulnerable side to Alice in between the parties, dating, and humor. Alice is a fully-rounded character who doesn’t always know what the next step is, and that’s what makes her journey so compelling and her ending all the more heartwarming.
‘How to Be Single’ Shows the Ups and Downs of Break-Ups
Apart from Johnson’s performance and how she holds her own, How to Be Single stands out for how it shows the good and bad sides of break-ups. For Alice, she is the one who initiates the break between her and Josh because she wants to experience life outside a relationship, so she ends something in order to forge a new beginning for herself. Then there are also the other women in the film. For instance, Lucy’s goal is to find that special someone to spend the rest of her life with. She is a romantic at heart, but some of the guys she dates don’t share the same ideals as her. There’s Paul (Colin Jost), whom she thinks is the perfect guy for her. But along the way, Paul reveals he isn’t really looking for anyone to settle down with anytime soon, so he leaves Lucy. This leads Lucy to break down at a bookstore, and comically, it’s where she meets her future partner. Lucy’s romantic journey is interesting to watch because she is so specific about what she looks for in a man, but somehow, she finds that man – even though the audience expects her to end up with someone completely different, Tom (Anders Holm). How to Be Single plays with the predictability of a rom-com while also showing that, like with Lucy, finding the perfect “someone” involves going through heartbreak.
Meg, on the other hand, has a more unconventional story than the others because it involves a pregnancy. She dreams of becoming a mother, whether she has a man or not, so, she decides to have one via IVF. But during that period, she meets this younger guy named Ken (Jake Lacy), and they hook up. Now, Meg isn’t really looking for anything serious because she has other things to worry about, but Ken worms her way into her and her baby’s life. And though they end up together, what’s great about this movie is that Meg is always portrayed as a strong, independent, and smart woman who just so happens to find love in a rather random time. She doesn’t need Ken to live, and it sends an empowering message. All in all, Meg and Ken complement each other so well, and it provides a nice contrast to the other characters.
How to Be Single is a great rom-com with an excellent cast, but at the same time, it makes for a good break-up movie. It touches all corners of being in a relationship as well as not being in one, and shows how both stages can be beautiful. Sure, being single while people you know have a partner can sometimes be lonely, but being single doesn’t always have to mean something negative, and the movie handles that message well. Being single can lead you to many incredible opportunities and let you explore more of the world and learn more about yourself. At its very core, How to Be Single shows that one doesn’t need a relationship to validate oneself — all the while capturing it with great comedy.
Hot to Be Single is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
This article was originally published on collider.com