I was so excited when I heard about how the book that I loved dearly, "How To Be Single," by Liz Tuccillo, was being adapted into a movie. This book is one of my favorites that I have read in the past year -- out of probably 20. So that's saying a lot. It's a story of five friends living in New York City trying to cope with the fact that they are not in relationships. These women are well established in their careers, in their late 30s.
As soon as I heard the announcement for the cast of this movie, I knew there was something wrong. The main character for the movie is ten years younger than the main character of the book. This is just the beginning of my disappointment. The fact that this woman in the movie is ten years younger than the woman in the book is a big deal. Being single in your late 20s is something that's not really a big deal, nowadays. Sure, everyone wants to be in a relationship with the love of their life by this time, but you still have time. The women in the book are in their late 30s, meaning they're now being judged for being single.
These five women all have wonderful careers and personal lives, but their love lives are lacking. When you're in your late 30s, this is considered a problem. So, of course, it consumes their lives. One woman actually quits her job to focus on finding the man of her dreams -- you'll have to read the book to find out how that one turns out. The fact is, being single in your 20s isn't the same as being single in your 30's; there isn't the same stigma attached to it; not even close.
Another issue I have with the film adaptation, besides the ageism, is the fact that the main character from the book is missing. The premise of the novel is that the main character, who has a job in publishing, decides to write about what it's like to be single all around the world. Interesting, right? Where is this storyline in the film? It is completely absent. The main plot of the book is not in the movie. Needless to say, this was extremely disappointing. Even more so than the age issue. I absolutely loved the premise of solving the mystery behind being single in different cultures. The main character is trying to understand herself, and why she isn't able to find a long term relationship. She does this by interviewing others and understanding why they aren't in a long-term relationship. I'm not sure how much this really helps her in her quest to find love -- which is her ultimate goal -- but it makes an intriguing novel. You see perspectives from different women, who are written to seem so incredibly real, and it allows you to relate and think about your own experiences.
The movie, "How To Be Single" does not even scratch the surface of the emotional journey that you take while reading the book. It opened my eyes to this issue, and although I am in my 20s, I can say this is a situation I fear I will be in, some day. Who doesn't fear ending up alone? This is something that the novel addresses beautifully -- I cannot say the same for the film. So, read the book and don't waste your money on a movie ticket.
