Review of How Do You Know (2010) by Lorenzo V — 25 Apr 2011

"Happiness in life is about... finding out what you want and learning how to ask for it.".

After being cut from the USA softball team and feeling a bit past her prime, Lisa finds herself evaluating her life and in the middle of a love triangle, as a corporate guy in crisis competes with her current, baseball-playing beau.

REVIEW.

James L. Brooks has given us some very fine films (Terms of Endearment, As Good As It Gets) and some mediocre (at best) ones - like Spanglish, The Simpsons Movie and numerous TV series. The odd thing about this much maligned How Do You Know is that it seems to be searching to find a reason for being mad - often to the point of feeling as though Brooks wrote the script as he went. For this viewer the film is not as bad as the audiences and critics say, but it is definitely one of Brooks' memorable works. The characters he created are for the most part losers who manage to get along in life because of an occult optimism. That part is refreshing.

Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) is a much loved Pro Softball player whose ego is badly bruised when she is cut from the new team. She dates Matty (Owen Wilson), a wealthy major league baseball pitcher who is either horrifically naive or completely clueless when it comes to relating to Lisa. Concurrently we meet George (Paul Rudd), a bright but emotionally ill- equipped businessman who has just been indicted in his work for his father Charles's (Jack Nicholson) company - apparently for something he did not do. Just as this vulnerable guy needs support he is dumped by his girlfriend and must move out of his place to lesser digs with the help of his devoted assistant Annie (Kathryn Hahn) who is very pregnant but unwed. Lisa meets George on a date arranged by well-meaning friends, but Lisa is 'committed' to Matty. Some chemistry between Lisa and George develops, Matty makes moves to change and invites Lisa to move in, George and his father duel over the indictment, and finally the 'sort of love' triangle finds a shaky center and Pow! the movie is over.

Witherspoon makes the best of her odd role and Paul Rudd restores some glory to his dwindling cinematic repertoire. Owen Wilson is Owen Wilson, and Jack Nicholson looks like he is one the wrong movie set. Part of this little film is smart, but it just never quite gels. How do we know? Just watch it with low expectations and be surprised here and there.