2010 - HOW DO YOU KNOW, very low key romantic comedy.

This romantic comedy about a female athlete and a businessman from the writer/director James L. Brooks was rejected by the critics and public.   Brooks was accused of losing his comedy touch, overpaying the stars and taking part in the massacre of cute little kittens at an animal shelter.

How Do You Know doesn't seem all that different from the previous five films he's written and directed.  If you examine his other films two of them have been serious under performers.  Spanglish and I'll Do Anything have left him with a batting average of about .500.

Part of the problem for audiences and critics may have been that Brooks conceived How Do You Know as a more intelligent romantic comedy than audiences have been used to.  People were actually expected to think about the relationships and situations  for a change. 

The cast and the acting with the exception of Jack Nicholson isn't too bad.  Nicholson is just way off as the conniving father of Paul Rudd who will even railroad his son into jail to protect his company. 
Paul Rudd is good as the stressed out businessman, Owen Wilson is the clueless jock trying to figure out this whole relationship business.  Reese Witherspoon may not have been the best choice for the female jock but she works hard and gives a professional performance. 

How Do You Know is not a perfect film, it has serious flaws but it is certainly not worthy of all the scorn that has been heaped upon it. 
 
116 minutes.