still learning...how to be single

I was hoping to see the film, How to be Single, on Valentine's Day. I have had to wait a few weeks, but it was worthwhile. It is an interesting contrast between Manhattan loft apartments and Rebel Wilson's somewhat bawdy humour and feels a little bit like a stylish and grown up American Bridget Jones Diary. The film opens when Alice (Dakota Johnson) decides she needs a break from her college boyfriend Josh. She moves to New York for a job as a paralegal, where she meets Robin (Rebel Wilson), a wild party-loving co-worker. As Alice learns how to get free drinks, meet men and enjoy the single lifestyle, we meet a variety of other single men and women who variously have some important lessons to learn. While Lucy flirts with Tom in the bar as she checks out online dating sites, David finds his date with Alice interrupted by his hidden demons. Alice is shocked when she tries to reconnect with Josh and realises he has moved on. So this thinking woman's romcom weaves lots of certainties and uncertainties in a patchwork of friendships and relationships. Unlike most American movies, the characters are not all paired off at the end, and we are reminded of some important lessons about friendship and self-awareness. The best thing about being single is that it is a transitory state to be appreciated for its own experience.