Summary Review:
How Do You Know is an average romantic comedy about a love triangle between characters portrayed by good comedians in their usual roles.

Synopsis:
I had tonsillitis this weekend and so didn’t feel like watching James Franco saw off his own arm with a blunt knife in an inspiring survival story like 127 Days. That does, however, look like the most interesting new film at the cinemas.

Saw 3D needs no introduction and I believe the only way it differs from its two predecessors is that it is in 3D.

Which brings us to the third and final option, How Do You Know. I didn’t have high hopes for this movie either, but it was at least easy to watch.

Reese Witherspoon plays Lisa, a professional softball player who gets cut from the national USA team. While trying to recover from her disappointment and find a new purpose for her life, she gets embroiled in a love triangle with a professional baseballer (Owen Wilson) and a business executive (Paul Rudd) who is under federal investigation for dodgy business dealings.

How Do You Know is nothing more than a safe romantic comedy, perfect as a belated Valentine’s date.

It is not up to the usual standards of award-winning writer and director James L. Brooks, but How Do You Know will cause couples to take a deeper look at their relationships.

Director: James L. Brooks Screenplay: James L. Brooks Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd, Jack Nicholson

Summary Review:
Life As We Know It is an awkward romantic comedy that feels like a 2-hour episode of an average television series.

Synopsis:
If you’re looking for something new, there are really no good films to watch this week.

The options are Piranha, a 3D-remake of a 70′s cult horror movie with giant man-eating fish, Takers, a clichéd action movie about a team of bank robbers, or Life As We Know It, which seems the most palatable of the lot.

Katherine Heigl plays Holly, a responsible, hard-working woman. Her friends Peter and Alison set her up on a blind date with Eric “Messer” Messer (Josh Duhamel), who is a bit of a player.

The date is disastrous and Holly and Messer are thankful that they never have to see each other again.

But when Peter and Alison die in a car accident, it is discovered that they named Holly and Messer as legal guardians of their 1-year-old daughter Sophie.

Holly and Messer now have to move in and raise a child together, which is where Life As We Know It really switches over into comedy mode.

Okay, so the plot is totally illogical and if you’re expecting a typical, easy romantic comedy, Life As We Know It is not it. It is bearable, because Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel are equally sweet and they work well together.

Director Greg Berlanti is best known for his award-winning television series, like Everwood, Dawson’s Creek and Brothers and Sisters. and Life As We Know It feels like a 2-hour episode of a less entertaining series.

By the last few minutes of the film, you’ll be reminded of the opening blind date and just like Holly and Messer, you’ll be waiting for Life As We Know It to end.

Director: Greg Berlanti Screenplay: Ian Deitchman, Kristin Rusk Robinson Cast: Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel, Josh Lucas, Christina Hendricks Time: 115min Age Restriction: 13M

Genre:
Romantic Comedy

Director: Josh Gordon, Will Speck Screenplay: Allan Loeb, based on the story by Jeffrey Eugenides Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Patrick Wilson, Juliette Lewis Time: 101min Age Restriction: 10M

Genre:

Romantic Comedy

Summary Review:

The Switch is an unremarkable formulaic rom-com that is saved from being completely boring by a charming child actor and a reasonable running time.

Synopsis:

Wally (Jason Bateman) has been best friends with Kassie (Jennifer Aniston) for many years. Like any good friend, he challenges her on the wisdom of choosing a random sperm donor to impregnate her when her biological clock starts ticking too loudly.

But of course there is more to the story and Wally has actually been deeply in love with Kassie since forever and not been able to voice his emotions.

Despite Wally’s cautions, however, Kassie is determined to go ahead with her plans and she throws a “Get Pregnant” party where Wally gets horribly drunk and things go terribly wrong.

Fast forward seven years, when Kassie returns to New York with her son, Sebastian, to begin a new job and pick up her old friendships where they left off.

The Switch has a few barbed comic moments that will make you smile once in a while, but in general the old situations are rather boring.

Yet again, the predictable Jennifer Aniston plays herself and the same can be said for nerdy nice-guy Jason Bateman. Patrick Wilson is the most interesting headlining actor in this film, but is highly unlikeable as Roland, the smarmy sperm donor.

Thomas Robinson, as Kassie’s neurotic son, Sebastian, is the star of The Switch. His performance as the solemn, fatherless test-tube child will melt your heart and totally steals what little there is of the show.

Director: Jim Field Smith Screenplay: Sean Anders, John Morris Cast: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, Mike Vogel, Krysten Ritter Time: 104min Age Restriction: 13SL

Genre:
Romantic Comedy

Summary Review:
She’s Out Of My League is a raucous, laugh-out-loud romp with a great sense of humour and a deeper message about believing in yourself.

Synopsis:
Kirk (Jay Baruchel) is the archetypal nerdy loser with spidery arms and legs, an apologetically goofy face and dorky friends. He works a dead-end job in airport security and, although he dreams of becoming a pilot, he has accepted the fact that it will never happen.

By chance, he does a good deed for Molly (Alice Eve), a gorgeous and accomplished entrepreneur, and they begin dating. But Kirk and his friends are baffled at Molly’s interest in him and are sure that it won’t last.

Yes, we’ve seen many odd-couple romances in the past, but She’s Out Of My League has an off-beat humour, which takes familiarly plausible situations and pushes them just over-the-top, as well as charming and disarming performances of Eve and Baruchel respectively, which set the film apart.

Besides being hilarious, She’s Out Of My League also has a well-placed and relevant message about the importance of self-esteem and believing in oneself.

I Now Pronounce You Black and White is South Africa’s first locally produced romantic comedy film.

I Now Pronounce You Black and White is a hilariously fun film, full of outrageous characters that will make your family look like the Brady Bunch, as true love tries to conquer all, against all odds.

Check out the official trailer of “I Now Pronounce You Black and White”

For once this looks like a good locally produced film, you can catch it at NuMetro cinemas from the 14th May 2010.