50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

Jordan Hawley wrote and directed this dark 'comedy' about the current state of love/hate relationships in Los Angeles (or inability to create same) with about as much panache as yesterday's onion rings. The storyline has been used so many times that the tread is off the tires.

LA ghostwriter Owen (Paul Schneider) is a 'nice guy' who sustains an inability to form a satisfactory love relationship. Exasperated with his life style he decides to become a cad: that must be what women (and men) want. He reverses his nice guy tactic and begins telling everyone he encounters just how he feels - and that is usually negative! The only person who doesn't but into his change is his roommate Allison (Poppy Montgomery) who is bisexual and therefore not wholly available. He decides to leave Los Angeles and move to the East Coast where a lucrative deal awaits him to write the memoirs of a famous man. At the last moment he meets one Val (Jennifer Westfeldt), an animal activist: the chemistry is there but each has a conflicting program. Owen is honest with her, a factor that does not chase her away, but both part ways to other parts of the world. Upon return to LA after a disappointing experience on the East Coast, tables turn and surprises arise. And the ending is a mixture of silly and unsatisfying.

Movies like this are meant to entertain and some of the dialogue is clever albeit acerbic. It just that the idea of relationship examination under these terms is so worn out that the movie just doesn't spark any innovative thoughts. After about thirty minutes into the film this 'audience' lost interest.

Owen McCabe (Paul Schneider) is an writer residing in LA. Shaken up by a minor earth-quake, he realizes how unhappy he is with his life: he just writes the lives of other people just to make to look good (or better than what they actually are) and he has not met someone special one all this time. So, he decides to "break-up" with his life and move on. Unfortunately for him, just when he accepts a job in New Jersey, he meets Val (Jennifer Westfeldt) at the airport. The conflict between knowing that Val is out there available and that he really needs to go to Jersey forces him to put this relationship on fast track, facilitating his decision: should he stay or should he go?

Of course, when any romantic movie begins with such a premise, it sounds like one of these awfully made chick-flicks like On the Line (no offense): guy meets the girl but can not forget about her and yet they somehow wind up together a result of some freak coincidences and/or events. Thank god, "how to lose your lover" in nothing like this cliché. Here, writer/director Jordan Hawley comes up two original ideas. The initial concept of "breaking of my life" seemed pretty fresh: Owen quits his job, cancels his cell-phone, sells his car and starts a fight with everybody so he can not come back to LA, no matter what. In other words, he burns his bridges in LA. But I think Hawley hits a home-run with the way Owen puts his relationship with Val on fast track (e.g., meeting the parents on the first date, asking her to have sex almost immediately), together with seeing what such a shallow guy prioritizes in his relationship with Val. Additionally, side-characters like Bucky Brandt (Fred Willard) as the astronaut with drinking problems and Allison (Poppy Montgomery) as the bisexual love- interest of Owen are well-designed and beautifully fit into the story.

How to lose your lover is not Eiffel Tower of romantic comedy genre and it won't be a timeless classic either. However, if you watch this movie just keeping in mind that this is nothing but a little movie and appreciating aforementioned ideas of Hawley, you'll find it good and entertaining. I have known Paul Schneider through his minor roles (like in "the family stone") and this is the first time I saw him under the spotlight. I must say he gives a solid performance as this a**hole Owen. Despite that the end seems a little bit weak and unsatisfying comparing the rest of the movie, How to lose your lover is definitely worth- seeing, especially if you like dark comedy...

7/10

I loved the movie! My wife, a friend and I watched it together and found ourselves laughing really hard. We particularly liked the scenes where the main character did his best to alienate all of his "friends". I'm sure all of us have had similar urges with people we have met either socially or at work, but would never act on them the way he does. The dialogue and reactions really are brilliantly written and cast.

We also loved the relationships and character development throughout the move, as well as the ending twist.

A definite must for anyone who loves a good movie and loves to laugh!

I thought this was a very well-written, funny and interesting comedy about how people can both love and hate LA, while also finding love for themselves. It's true the movie does look low budget at times. But, the cast does such a fine job (Tori Spelling was even a pleasant surprise), and there is an honesty about Paul Schnedier's character. He starts off as a cynical, "I don't care about this town, or anyone in it" type of guy. But, he gradually grows to recognize what's important about LA is not his perception and bias, but the friends in his life, people he took for granted for far too long. The audience I saw it with at Tribeca really loved it. This film is worth checking out.

I've had this movie on my radar for awhile, because it has Jennifer Westfeldt in it and I'm a huge fan of hers and want to make sure I see everything she's ever done (I know, I'm a pathetic groupie). Somewhat surprisingly, she's actually not the best thing about this film, and I think she's a little wasted in it (like they told her not to overdo it and she's a little muted). But Paul Schneider is terrific, and overall it's a really funny, charming movie. It's definitely low budget, which is not a problem at all for me, because the writing is sharp and the actors do a great job. I've always thought that independently-produced romantic comedies are always better than the Hollywood ones, because they're always funnier and more romantic. This film is more evidence for my theory. The idea of being totally honest to run someone off is reminiscent of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but the concept is used to better effect in this movie and doesn't feel nearly as stilted as it did in Kate Hudson's film. The movie doesn't go quite where you think it's going either (at least not where I thought it was going) which is a bonus, and it has great kissing, another bonus. Definitely worth watching if you like movies that are smart and a little offbeat.