In keeping with all things Twilight-related on DVD, in anticipation of the soon-to-be released The Twilight Saga: New Moon, we'll be looking at the newly released film How to Be, starring Edward Cullen himself, Rob Pattinson. It should be no surprise that the movie is being released so close to the release date of his next big blockbuster, but the funny thing is that it may be a big turn off for die hard Pattinson fans because it has nothing to do with vampires, brooding, or shirtlessness. With that being stated, lets deal with the movie on its own terms.
The plot follows the young and troubled Arthur (Pattinson), a supermarket clerk and aspiring musician who has just been unceremoniously dumped by his girlfriend. So down and out Arthur returns to his childhood home in London with his parents, who don't know what to do for him. Then everyone is surprised when Arthur hires a Canadian life coach to move-in and help him through this phase. From there they all begin the healing process and try to figure out not what went wrong, but where to go from here.
It's a cute and incredibly sarcastic British comedy that has received quite a bit of hype because of its newly minted star. After looking at a number of fan reviews, particularly on IMDb, there is certainly a bolstered sense surrounding what is a middle of the road movie. Yet, the truly cynical will be disappointed because the plot may be a bit out there, but the execution is fairly admirable. There are some worthwhile jokes courtesy of the entire cast spread throughout. If you're a fan of British cinema, then this would be an excellent movie for you, but if you don't really appreciate the style then this movie will be totally lost on you. The biggest complaint would be that the pacing of the movie does drag a bit during the middle of the film, but that is hardly a criminal offense. Just like in Twilight, any song featuring Pattinson (and there are quite a few since Arhur is supposed to be a musician) is a standout compared to the rest of the soundtrack.
How to Be will probably fade into people's memories after more movies, bigger more-Americanized fare, starring Pattinson begin to be churned out since for better or worse he is what connects most people's minds to this movie. It's a shame because it is worthwhile for other reasons, at least to see once in your life. It's not brilliant art, but it is a good way to pass an evening.
Grade: B
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