How to Be Single (2016)

How to Be Single is a rare modern rom-com that actually feels like it lives in the real world—messy, funny, a little bruised, and ultimately hopeful—while letting New York City glow around its characters like an extra cast member. Instead of treating singledom as a problem to be solved, it plays like a lively, good-natured mixtape of different ways people stumble toward connection, powered by a charming ensemble with sharp comic timing and surprisingly warm chemistry. The movie’s best trick is how effortlessly it balances laugh-out-loud moments with a gentle honesty about dating fatigue, friendship, and the pressure to “have it figured out.” If you want a breezy, well-made crowd-pleaser with a fresh angle on love and independence, it’s an easy yes—just know it leans into broad comedy at times, so viewers craving a more serious romance may find it a bit too playful.

How to Be Single wants to be a breezy, modern rom-com about figuring yourself out in New York, juggling multiple characters and perspectives on love. The problem is it plays like a handful of different movies stitched together, with subplots that don’t always connect and characters who can come off more exhausting than endearing. It leans hard on familiar rom-com beats, so if you’re hoping for a sharp subversion of clichés, you’ll likely find it predictable. Still, there are a few fun moments and some charm in the cast, but if you need a tight story and genuinely likable leads, this probably isn’t your night.