THINK LIKE A MAN
122 Minutes
PG-13
Director: Tim Story
Writers: Keith Merryman, David A. Newman, Steve Harvey
Chris Brown, Gabrielle Union, Kevin Hart
You liked him in the Steve Harvey Show, The Original Kings of Comedy (2000), and the Family Feud...
... [crickets chirping]...?
Before my local Border's closed, I sat down on one of those big, comfy, black sofas; and I flipped through this 'book' Steve Harvey 'wrote'. I thought Pimp 'Magic' Harvey was going to impart some wisdom. Perhaps, show me how to pull a ho quick. But no, it was a well-intentioned book written for women, by a 'comedian'. For the record, I didn't read the entire book. But I did flip through it for good 30 minutes.
Think Like a Man, is the antithesis of 1997's How to Be a Player, featuring the long forgotten Bill Bellamy.
Most of this film is predictable. Like toward the end, you know there's going to be some messy breakups. Chris Brown's character is going beat the shit out of his girlfriend...oh, wait that was in real life.
We see the artist formerly known as 'Ron Artest' playing a game of pickup basketball. Why would a professional player be practicing basketball at the Y? Oh, maybe because he is serving a 7-game suspension for elbowing James Harden in the face.
To its credit, this film features an authentic mixed race group of friends. In TV commercials, you'll see one black guy playing a tambourine and four white guys, all playing in the same jam band...and one of them has erectile dysfunction. Here, there are two white guys, and four black guys; a more realistic ratio.
Complaints on Steve Harvey (in no particular order)
Soon as I got used to that bad hairpiece, he decides to shave his head. He looks much worse with a bald head, as hard as that is to believe.
This is the longest infomercial I have ever seen. Mr. Harvey must be possessed by the spirit of the late, great Billy Mays, himself. Which is surprising, I figured he'd be busy selling Oxyclean in heaven. The movie would get going, and every so often, we’d hear a tidbit of wisdom, an aside, where Steve Harvey is sitting in a chair. He would say things like, ‘men like standards, get some’, or how the perfect man doesn't exist. It's an unnecessary distraction, which detracts from the movie itself.
Steve Harvey is the last guy that should be dispensing relationship advice. Look at him, he's not exactly the epitome of success. It's like Louie Anderson putting out a diet book.
Parting Words
Think Like a Man is a male version of He's Just Not That Into You (2009). This is a tolerable, bland 'romcom’. If you're looking to get laid, this is the movie to take your lady acquaintance to; it's an efficient, cost-effective solution.
Final Verdict: 65 out of 100
