He’s Just Not That Into You, 2009.
GIGI: “Maybe his grandma died or maybe he lost my number or is out of town or got hit by a cab…”
ALEX: “Or Maybe he is not interested in seeing you again.”
Set in Baltimore, Ken Kwapis’s film, He’s Just Not That Into You (2009), follows the lives of nine people as they try to navigate their various romantic problems. Although each has their own respective issue in love, their lives intertwine with each character having a relationship with least one or two other characters. Whether it’s an affair, a work relationship, a friendship, a marriage, or a crush, each character’s desires and objectives impact one another through the varying degrees of their relationships.
Gigi is the protagonist of the main romantic storyline; a bubbly and cheerful thirty-something year old who is searching for her dream guy in order to achieve her happy ending. However, in Gigi’s own words, she gets “so focused on finding [her] happy ending [she] doesn’t learn how to read the signs” (Kwapis, 2009). She consistently misreads the signals displayed by guys who aren’t interested in her, misinterpreting a simple comment or even politeness as a sign of romance. She obsesses over every detail and overthinks every interaction with a guy she deems is partner-to-be: did he say it was just ‘nice’ to meet me, or did he say it was ‘really nice’ to meet me? How long should I wait for him to call before I should call him? He’s normally at the club on a Tuesday night, should I do a drive by to see if he’s there?
Although Gigi means well, she is ditsy and naïve when pursing men, often failing to distinguish between the “ones who will stay, and the ones who will leave” (Kwapis, 2009). However, Gigi gradually becomes more perceptive throughout the film, learning to question a man’s intentions so as to uncover if they really are interested in her, or simply blowing her off.
A pivotal moment of growth for Gigi occurs when, after throwing herself onto her male friend Alex, he reprimands her for misreading his relationship with her. He chastises her by stating that if a man wants to be with a woman, he will ask her out, going on to declare that women always over analyse a man’s intentions. This prompts a major revelation for Gigi, as she realises that she would rather put herself out there and learn from her mistakes then never even try, declaring to Alex, “I’d rather be like that than be like you” (Kwapis, 2009).
Gigi’s final monologue is very introspective, as she reflects on all the “blunders and misread signals” she has gone through in her dating life, as well as “all the pain and embarrassment” (Kwapis, 2009) it has caused her. She allows herself to be vulnerable and expose her flaws by confiding in the audience all the times she has misread a guy’s intentions, causing her to act foolishly by pursuing and obsessing over someone who has no interest in her. In addition, Gigi also imparts the knowledge that she has gained from her experiences. She now realises that not every guy she meets will be ‘the one’, and that finding your dream guy is a process. Moreover, she reflects that you don’t necessarily need a guy to be happy, and that you can also be just as content with being on your own. Gigi has grown to recognise all the false information women are fed about finding a happy ending, “if a guy punches you, he likes you” (Kwapis, 2009), and now realises it is not the absolute truth.
Personally, Gigi’s speech serves as a declaration to all women that we shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed of going after our happy ending, what ever it may be. Whether the happy ending is being with someone else, being by yourself, or being with your cat, keep pushing for it and never give up hope that you will achieve it.
After all, you deserve someone who will call you back.
References
Juvonen, N. & Disco, M. & Stroman, G. (Producers), & Kwapis, K. (Director). (2009). He’s Just Not That Into You [Motion Picture]. US: Flower Films.
Everett Collection. (2009). Gigi Phillips [Photo]. Retrieved from, https://ew.com/movies/2019/02/06/hes-just-not-that-into-you-10th-anniversary-secrets/
Kwapis, K. (2009). Gigi displays her character growth [Image]. Retrieved from, http://www.celebquote.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/hes-not-that-into-you-movie-quotes-2.gif
Kwapis, K. (2009). Gigi stands up to Alex [Image]. Retrieved from, https://66.media.tumblr.com/a19406fd01b824ecaa85826718d80f09/tumblr_ovhmjqPh9C1r7hecwo6_r1_250.gif
Kwapis, K. (2009). Gigi starts to get wise. [Image]. Retrieved from, https://www.readunwritten.com/2017/02/21/world-full-alexs-need-gigi/
Kwapis, K. (2009). He’s Just Not That Into You [Poster]. Retrieved from, https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/hes-just-not-you/
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