Remember that time someone made that He’s Just Not That Into You self-help book (offering oh-so-sage love advice to hapless women) into a movie? Apparently that’s a thing: director Tim Story has adapted Steve Harvey’s love guide for women, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, for the screen. The movie brings the book’s stereotypes—from the mama’s boy to the independent, successful lady—to life in two opposing camps: men versus women (because, ladies, finding a man is war). Admittedly, there are some good laughs, only some of which are intended—one of the token white dudes (Gary Owen) in a mostly black cast (including pretty boy Michael Ealy and the scheming Gabrielle Union) has some great one-liners that reduces everyone to cultural stereotypes, making the movie at least appear to be aware of its own ridiculousness.
This article appears in Apr 19-25, 2012.