Oh, the tangled web that’s woven in the most straight-forward, brutally honest and refreshingly true-to-life story of the cat and mouse game men and women love to play.  Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, and Justin Long make up the cast of this present-day Baltimore-centered comedy/drama based on the book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo about the lies women tell themselves and the simple, fundamental truths surrounding male behavior in romantic relationships.

The stories of 9 characters, how they’re interconnected, and how their expectations of one another do or don’t match up are the basis of this film.  The main character, Gigi Phillips (Goodwin), has taken on the role of chasing after men when, after a first date, they don’t come after her.  She makes excuses for them, develops elaborate hypothetical scenarios with disastrous circumstances in her head, and finally looks to one particular character for continuos advice when he tells her the flat-out truth about why another suitor hasn’t called.  She trusts him, and thus he becomes her go-to guy for all things related to the male psyche.  But what happens when she mistakes his friendly advice for romantic interest?  You’ll just have to watch and see ;o)

There’s only one word to describe the characters in this movie:  real.  No matter who you are, you’ll be able to relate one of these characters to yourself, a family member, or a friend.  We all know someone who knows someone; we’ve all been the one or been the friend of the one who didn’t get the one they wanted; we’ve all been confused, we’ve all been heartbroken, we’ve all wanted to give up, we’ve all had to move on.  They’re not just relatable.  They’re real.

If you’re looking for a sappy-pants slumber party i-just-broke-up-with-my-boyfriend-and-want-to-eat-junk-food-and-cry kind of movie, you’ve picked up the wrong DVD.  This is not your average fairytale with a happy ending, and it’s not for the faint of heart.  However, I do recommend that every female watch this film at some point in their life.  If you like it, read the book.  It’s nice to see a movie that deals with the real insecurity and sense of despair some women have about finding “the one”.