Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

How Do You Know Blu-ray Movie Review

"Heart in the right place" isn't the same thing as "heart."

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 9, 2011

We're all just one small adjustment away from making our lives work.

How Do You Know proves to be a very sweet and charming litte movie...in the last 15 minutes. The rest of the film is about one third character development (primarily, it seems, built around characters detachedly chatting away on cell phones), one third plot advancement, and one third too long. Director James L. Brooks's (As Good As It Gets) latest film is an overlong and under-realized wishy-washy something or other that seems to want to play things straight -- to get some real-life vibe going on -- while having and eating its "movie magic romance" cake, too. It's an airy and cute little picture at times, and at others it seems too centered on the nitty-gritty details of its various subplots, taking away from the more charming and breezy attributes. The film has the potential to be a better one, but it's simply too unfocused with too much jabber about trivial little odds and ends that might not be so trivial were this really a slice of real life, but it just doesn't work in the same way within the constraints of the cinematic medium and the "Romantic Comedy" genre in particular, in which this film doesn't really fit but seems the closest thing to a viable, easily understood descriptor.

Watching 'How Do You Know' on Blu-ray...wait...this is like that scene in 'Spaceballs!'

Lisa (Reese Witherspoon, Cruel Intentions) is a Team USA softball player, but at 31, she's lost a step and is not likely to make the team, much to her own disappointment and the anger of her teammates. She's been setup on a potential blind date with a big-shot business executive named George (Paul Rudd, Dinner For Schmucks) who's in a big heap of trouble, subpoenaed by the government for stock fraud. His boss and father, Charles (Jack Nicholson, Anger Management), isn't much help, and George calls off the blind date in a panic. Lisa moves on to date Washington Nationals relief pitcher Matty Reynolds (Owen Wilson, Bottle Rocket), a good guy who maybe tries a little too hard to impress the girls. When George's girlfriend effectively breaks up with him, he tries to hit things off with Lisa for a second time. With George's work life in the dumps, Lisa about to be canned from the softball team, and Matty being the self-absorbed Matty, theirs is a kinda-sorta love triangle with plenty of sharp edges; can any good be found for the two who make it up to the top?

There are times when How Do You Know is an enjoyable little picture focusing on whacky relationships and semi-interesting characters, but at times it's also an infuriatingly listless film that seems to lose its charm and energy on a dime, only to find and lose them again, and on and on. Fortunately, the film ends on one of its upticks -- its best stretch, even -- and almost makes the movie a worthwhile endeavor. It certainly has all the pieces to be a more fluid, consistently-entertaining movie than this; all of the characters are generally likable, the basics of the story are fine, and the cast is excellent. The problem is that there's a lethargy to the thing, a sense that it never really finds much footing beyond basic seesaw genre cliché as Lisa is wooed by two likable guys, both with their own little problems but neither of whom would make for a bad catch. Maybe the film is aiming for a slightly different angle than most of this sort, giving the girl the choice between a win and a win rather than a win and a lose. Viewers will certainly have their favorite -- most will probably lean towards George -- but the problem with choosing between two relatively good guys in a movie like this is the resultant absence of tension or the possibility of making a wrong choice.

If there's another thing dragging down How Do You Know, it's the film's built-in identity crisis. It's neither romantic nor funny enough to be a Romantic Comedy -- let alone either of those singular genres -- and it's not dramatic enough to pose as a Drama. The picture sinks under the smorgasbord of this-and-that that weighs the movie down, and it's only when it manages to find itself in a stretch where a more singular focus comes into play can it come up to catch its breath. It might not be fair to label the movie as "frustrating," because more often than not it is a rather light, innocent little movie that tries so hard to be a genuinely happy-go-lucky look at the misadventures of a peculiarly amiable love triangle that it forgets that there's such a thing as "conflict." Director James L. Brooks's similar films -- As Good As It Gets comes to mind -- manages to capture this wayward such-is-life sort of vibe quite well, but How Do You Know seems to try too hard to be too little. Usually it's the other way around, but Brooks seems determined to make his film as minimalistic and innocent as possible. Sure, the characters all have their problems and quirks which do factor into the way things play out, but even still there's so little drama and even less heart that the film just kind of plays out with a meandering flow that ultimately gets to where audiences want it to be but at too slow a pace and with too many unnecessary pauses along the way.

How Do You Know Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

How Do You Know debuts on Blu-ray with a rock-solid 1080p transfer. Colors favor a warmer shades -- seemingly by design -- which gives the picture something of a bright, spunky appearance, while at the same time making characters look like they just spent a week in the sun. There's a general vibrancy to the colors, and maybe a bit too much as evidenced by Lisa's garish red dress that seems to have some kind of glowing life force to it. Otherwise, the image is exceptionally detailed across the board; whether general facial details or something as insignificant as the texturing of a placemat, the transfer cares not what the object is, and displays everything with a crisp accuracy that's second-to-none. Black levels are superb, the print is meticulously clean, and the image appears naturally deep. A sprinkling of grain rounds another top-tier transfer from Sony into form.

How Do You Know Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

How Do You Know may very well be the definition of "minimalist sound design." There's simply not much going on, but Sony's DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack handles the film's paltry offerings with ease and clarity. The picture is about 98% dialogue, and the spoken word remains focused in the center channel and enjoys a fine crisp and clear sort of delivery. A few general atmospherics work their way into the mix -- a cheering crowd at a ball game, a few city sound effects -- but nothing's all that immersive, and the back channels don't exactly spring to life in support of these elements, either. Hans Zimmer's score is light and wonderfully clear and satisfying, flowing pleasantly enough from the front channels. All told, this is a relatively quiet, reserved track that's nothing at all special, but Sony's lossless audio presentation does all that's required of it with the precision and clarity listeners have come to expect from the studio.

How Do You Know Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

How Do You Know features a quality assortment of extras, including full- and partial-length commentaries, deleted scenes, and a blooper reel.

• Audio Commentary: Writer/Director James L. Brooks and Cinematographer Janusz Kamiński begin by discussing the future of digital filmmaking as they dissect the film's digitally-shot opening. They also speak on a cinematographer's ability to work within genres (Kamińsk also worked on Saving Private Ryan), the casting process, the process of shooting various scenes, the picture's structure, the quality of the performances, and even things they would change if they could make the film again. There are some gaps, some choppy moments, and Brooks dominates the track, but it makes for a fairly engaging and informative listen that does lean towards the technical/filmmaking side of the ledger that makes it a track that those interested in moviemaking will want to digest.
• Select Scenes Commentary (1080p, 32:55): Writer/Director James L. Brooks and Actor Owen Wilson discuss The Decision, Perfect Guy, A Sweet Guy is Born, Homemaking, His Place, Crawling Back, The Note, Anonymous Sex, Engaged to be Engaged, and Boy Loses Girl.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 29:29): Lisa's Childhood, Too Rough, Stair Hopping, Point 4 Seconds, The Office Scene, Cries in the Night, The Hat, Play-Doh Plant, Anxiety Attack, Mr. Opposite, Pomposity, Baseball Agent, Annie & George, and Sandwich Bit. Also included is the Original Ending and an Animatic. Writer/Director James L. Brooks offers optional commentary.
• Blooper Reel (1080p, 1:57).
• Extra Innings (1080p, 15:02): This piece circles the figurative bases that represent the making of the movie, beginning by exploring the picture's early stages and the inspiration for the story and moving on to examine Reese Witherspoon's softball training, the truth behind athletes's dating habits, the work of the remaining cast members, and James L. Brooks's direction.
• A Conversation with James L. Brooks and Hans Zimmer (1080p, 25:59): The Writer/Director and Composer speak on their professional histories, their collaborations, and their work on How Do you Know.
• Interactive Script Gallery (1080p): Take a look through James L. Brooks's script for How Do You Know.
• "The George" (1080p, 1:36): A look at the making of an alcoholic drink as seen in the film. Writer/Director James L. Brooks offers optional commentary.
• BD-Live.

How Do You Know Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

How Do You Know isn't a bad movie, really; it's just an exercise in missed potential. All the ingredients are here for a superior film -- good characters, a great cast, a decent enough story -- but Writer/Director James L. Brooks, unfortunately, misses the mark with this one. Too long, too many slow stretches, too many inconsequential developments, and a generally meandering structure all lead up to a cuddly ending, but one that might be a textbook case of "too little, too late." Sony's Blu-ray release of How Do You Know features an exceptional 1080p transfer, a quality but bland-by-design lossless soundtrack, and a nice array of extras. Fans can buy with confidence, but others are encouraged to settle for a rental.