How Do You Know – A Sony Pictures’ Release
http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/howdoyouknow/
DVD Release Date: March 22nd, 2010
Rated PG for language may offend, mature theme and coarse language
Running time: 121 minutes
James L. Brooks (dir.)
James L. Brooks (writer)
Hans Zimmer (music)
Reese Witherspoon as Lisa
Paul Rudd as George
Owen Wilson as Matty
Jack Nicholson as Charles
Our reviews below:
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How Do You Know DVD Review By John C.
*** (out of 4)
After being cut from her softball team, Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) moves in with her rich baseball player boyfriend, Matty (Owen Wilson). But when she finds herself falling for George (Paul Rudd), she’s in the middle of a love triangle where both guys have their share of flaws and likable qualities. Matty just can’t seem to let go of his playboy lifestyle, and George is currently undergoing a federal investigation for corporate fraud and is at odds with his ruthless father, played by Jack Nicholson.
With a good script by director James L. Brooks and a strong cast, How Do You Know has a lot to like. Although I can’t say that the film brings anything overly unique or original to the genre of romantic comedies, it provides 121-minutes of enjoyable escapist fun spent in the company of genuinely relatable characters.
The Blu-ray includes commentary with the filmmakers, numerous deleted scenes, a blooper reel and several featurettes.
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How Do You Know DVD Review By Erin V.
***1/4 (out of 4)
In How Do You Know, Reese Witherspoon plays Lisa, a softball player who finds her life at a crossroads when she is let go from her team. She is dating another baseball player called Matty (Owen Wilson), but he is pretty shallow and she isn’t sure if this is what she wants. After going on a blind date with George (Paul Rudd), she realizes this is someone who actually listens to her. But George has problems of his own as his father Charles (Jack Nicholson) has gotten him lumped into his legal trouble at work.
This is a rom-com that actually works. It will be a little slow for some, but I found the quiet pace quite refreshing. We enjoy watching the characters, and find them believable. All the leads play the roles well, and the comedy does not resort to rude/gross-out humour. It’s more mature than the typical college crowd fare, but that’s what I enjoyed about it. This is one worth checking out on DVD, especially if you’re a fan of the actors here.
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How Do You Know DVD Review By Nicole
*** (out of 4)
How Do You Know is a charming and clever romantic comedy. Reese Witherspoon stars as Lisa, a softball player in her early-30’s who gets kicked off her team for being too old. She decides to take her mind off things by going out with Matty (Owen Wilson), a baseball player who is also somewhat of a playboy. But soon Lisa gets introduced to George (Paul Rudd), a business man who may be in trouble due to his father’s alleged financial crimes. A love triangle ensues, which further complicates everyones lives. How will they solve these dilemmas?
How Do You Know is well written. The dialogue, unlike in some other recent romantic comedies, is believable and funny. The cast and acting is good and the story is intelligent. This is one worth checking out.
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How Do You Know DVD Review By Maureen
*** (out of 4)
Some decisions are harder to make than others. The question is – how do you know when you are making the right decision?
James L. Brooks’ romantic-comedy How Do You Know is a sweet and funny look at one woman’s dilemma. Lisa (Reese Whitherspoon) is a recently let-go professional softball player who meets up with charming ladies man baseball player, Matty (Owen Wilson). Lisa is reasonably happy with him until she strikes up a friendship with a down on his luck business man named George (Paul Rudd). Both guys are nice in their own way and each have their own pros and cons. Eventually Lisa has to choose.
The cast and characters are all likeable in this movie. The lead trio all have a believable chemistry and the supporting cast members including Jack Nicholson as George’s shady businessman father and Kathryn Hahn as Annie, George’s administrative assistant, add to the light comedic tone. Overall How Do You Know is a pleasant diversion, and one of the better romantic-comedies with a good cast and engaging storyline. This is a good choice for an at home movie night.
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How Do You Know DVD Review By Tony
*** (out of 4)
How Do You Know has a familiar formula seen in films such as Bridget Jones Diary, where a young woman in a relationship with a charming cad attracts the interest of a more decent but insecure guy. Possibly being cut from her very supportive softball team, Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) moves in with Matty (Owen Wilson), whose lifestyle supported by an eight figure ball player’s salary is perfectly suited to casual relationships. Meanwhile, George (Paul Rudd) is an unwitting fall guy in the shady business of his father (Jack Nicholson). Several casual encounters between Lisa and George lead to a predictable conclusion, with many amusing twists along the way.
Written and directed with a sure hand by veteran James L. Brooks, How Do You Know has a good script and cast that handles it well, including the small parts such as Annie (Kathryn Hahn), George’s very pregnant office assistant, the shrink (Tony Shalhoub), and the consummate doorman (John Tormey).
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Consensus: Although it doesn’t offer anything overly unique to the genre of romantic comedies, a good cast and likeable characters make How Do You Know an enjoyable film from legendary director James L. Brooks. *** (Out of 4)
The Joy of Movies 
How Do You Know was built for success with an all star cast, but there were a few things that fell short. While it engages the audience in believable script of the quest to find out who we are in this crazy world, there is unnecessary dialogue and points in this movie. The base relationship triangle is enough to make a hit romantic comedy, but adding the confusing relationship of Jack Nicholson and Paul Rudd and their ordeal that is far from believable to the script seems like too much and not needed. I’m left not knowing what is going to happen to Paul Rudd’s problem and not quite believing the relationship of Reese and Paul. For those who say this is believable, I say that with such extreme characters and problems like the usual overly enthusiastic playboy, Owen Wilson, and the federal case that has intense consequences between Rudd and Nicholson, there needed to be some sense of humor injected to this for it to be truly looked at as a comedy. I understand the humor of finding real life funny, but then there needed to be some sense of true happiness from anyone other than Paul Rudd’s usual genuine smile. A good script and directed movie that just needed to either slowed down to make relationships believable or need to be sped up to bring closure to all the “issues” brought up in the movie.
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I agree – How Do You Know is imperfect and a little long, yet still an enjoyable film. I personally found the stuff between Jack Nicholson and Paul Rudd did work here, but I do understand why many audiences would find it needless and confusing.
Although the film doesn’t really offer anything overly unique to the genre of romantic comedies, I think we can all agree that with a good cast and generally believable script it is better than some other recent films that set out to find humour in everyday relationships.
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!
-John C.
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