Think Like a Man Stars Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy and Romany Malco on Every Womans Nasty S

Self-help tomes seldom make for riveting movies, but Think Like a Man is less an adaptation of Steve Harvey’s book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, than a hypothetical depiction of what might happens if a handful men and women get their hands on it. Alternately informative and intrusive, empowering and infuriating, the characters in director Tim Story‘s film find much of their romantic lives turned upside down even as their relationships eventually end up on surer footing.

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Male stars Romany Malco, Terrence Jenkins, Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy and Jerry Ferrara recently told THR that the film exposed a number of interesting truths about the battle of the sexes, including the discovery that sometimes it’s better to surrender to the enemy. “I think all of us has gone through a break-up, and has tried to hang out with their friends for the support,” Jenkins said. “And we all kind of have that epiphany of being back in the streets is not as much fun as being in a relationship.”

Malco, however, disagreed. “I haven’t had that epiphany,” he countered. “I’m just being straight-up. I think being single is phenomenal.”

When asked what this group of guys knows better about women than it often seems like they know about themselves, Hart was quick to reveal a seldom-spoken fact. “Every woman has a nasty side,” he said. “You’ve got to tap into it. And when you tap into that side – the results are endless. You’ve just got to not be afraid to get there.”

An important element of the film is examining the impact and influence men and women exert over one another – both for good and bad. When asked what trick a woman pulled that actually ended up working out, or strengthening their relationship, none of the actors were too quick to volunteer stories, but Malco confessed that in the past, women have been good observers of his behavior, even when he wasn’t. “I’ve definitely been in a situation where a woman challenged me or called me on my stuff or forced me to look at myself,” he said. “It made me do that – and as a result, I’m happier, I guess.”

Think Like a Man opened nationwide Friday, April 20.

Aldo Pusey

Update: 2024-09-11

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