Hitch

Meet Alex “Hitch” Hitchens, a nerd in high school who falls for a babe and gives his heart completely to her only to have it broken on a cold rainy night when he discovers the girl of his dreams making out with another guy in a car. This is the driving force behind why Hitch, the date doctor, does what he does – and that is to equip and enable any man to sweep the girl of his dreams off her feet.

Smooth, suave, and full of practical advice, Hitch is like every man’s dream. Especially so to Albert Brennaman, an accountant who is a klutz and who has had plenty of bad experiences with women. And along the rocky way, Hitch himself finds love in hardened hearted gossip columnist Sara Melas in a courtship laden with obstacles.

Though the storyline and the characters in the movie are quite cliché, surprisingly, with a touch of class, Hitch is pleasant to watch. Will Smith does an excellent job portraying the smooth and suave date doctor and Eva Mendes does quite well in playing the angst ridden Sara, who does not really believe in love.

Peppered with lots of humorous moments, and a few serious ones, Hitch is an easy movie to watch and will go down smoothly with most. However, be warned that there were a few eye rolling moments. Some clichés are really just too cliché. When you watch the movie, have a good laugh but remember to add a barrel full of realistic salt, as this is still after all a Hollywood movie and yes do remember also that this is a romantic comedy. So perhaps it is more for the girls. But guys, it would help if you took note of the tips that Hitch had for his clients at the start of the show.

He’s Just Not That Into You

Based on a self-help book of the same title by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, “He’s Just Not That Into You” is a romantic comedy about young urbanites looking for love.

Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) was five years old when she was bullied by a boy in the playground. She was told that if boys are jerks, it means that they like her. It is undoubtedly an unfortunate piece of misinformation to learn at a young age because years later, Gigi still struggles unsuccessfully to find love in unlikely people.

After a date with Conor (Kevin Connolly), Gigi obsesses about whether he is interested in her. She meets Conor’s best friend Alex (Justin Long), who tells her that if a man does not call her, it means he is not interested in her, and she should stop thinking that she is “an exception to the rule.” This is just one of the romance plots that the movie explores.

Apart from stories of dating singles, the movie also explores the issues of marriage and fidelity. Most of the ensemble cast including big names like Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johannson, and Ben Affleck put up a convincing performance, although I am unable to sympathize with Jennifer Connelly’s character due to her sheer “woodenness.” However, the number of characters and stories also makes the movie rather cluttered and does not give room for the characters to develop. While the movie falls in with the Hollywood stereotype that finding “The One” is the “be all and end all,” it does also suggest that perhaps love alone is not enough to make a marriage work – and that commitment and effort are also essential.

The stories are not highly original, but the movie does provide light-hearted entertainment. It may also provide some food for thought on your take on love and relationships.

Lorraine Chee is a freelance photographer who worships at Trinity Christian Centre, Singapore. She has a deep love for music, writing, reading, and food.

Angeline Chew is formerly a civil servant and volunteer coordinator in a local hospice. She now works from home to avoid taking the public transport during peak hours and buying office wear. She worships at Covenant Evangelical Free Church with her husband.