How Do You Know

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How Do You Know

PG-13

2010

2h 1m

Romance

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

32%

Tomatometer

149 Reviews

25%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Lisa Jorgenson's (Reese Witherspoon) entire life has been defined by softball, but at 31, she is deemed too old to play and cut from the team. After being cast adrift, she begins a fling with Matty (Owen Wilson), a charming womanizer who plays professional baseball. About the same time, she goes on a blind date with George (Paul Rudd), a businessman on the hook for stock fraud. Caught in a romantic triangle with the two men, Lisa ponders the meaning of love.

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Critics Consensus

How Do You Know boasts a quartet of likeable leads -- and they deserve better than this glib, overlong misfire from writer/director James L. Brooks.

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Shubhra Gupta

The Indian Express

04/03/2019

1/5

Three likeable stars and Jack Nicholson. Can you take this foursome and make a film that makes you want to barf the moment it opens? Yes, if the film is How Do You Know.

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Bill Goodykoontz

Arizona Republic

08/12/2011

3/5

Some of the bits are funny, every now and then they're sweet, the performances are OK and really, with this much talent involved, it's hard not to be disappointed in that.

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Philip French

Guardian

01/31/2011

Though neither mindless nor insensitive, this interminable movie falls far short of Brooks's best work, which is to say Broadcast News and As Good As It Gets.

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Dec 17

3.5/5

Fifteen years later, How Do You Know still isn’t perfect, but it’s far more charming and thoughtful than its early reputation suggests.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

08/03/2023

2/4

A serviceable, low-key romantic comedy that’s just entertaining enough to keep our attention, but with few flourishes to last in our memory the way Brooks’ movies usually do.

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

09/11/2020

2.5/4.0

At least a modest disappointment for those of us who consider ourselves fans of James L. Brooks.

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Aysel S

@RT00374719 Mar 20

It's a charming, innocent, warm little rom-com with all main characters being really like-able! It leaves you with a smile on your face and in a good mood.

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Brittany G

@Brittanyguzman328 Feb 5

It's a very 90s

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Lia H

@Lsh0038 Dec 10

What did I just watch?! I saw it had my fav Paul Rudd and other good actors like Reese Witherspoon and Owen Wilson. The plot is so random and slow. There are different stories and they both don’t make sense. I feel like I lost brain cells… don’t recommend!

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Mike W.

@OldElkGuyMike Oct 13

Laughed so much! Much better than the reviews.

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Daniel R

@RT55774269 Aug 15

Quite simply the worst movie I have ever had the displeasure of watching through and through. To its merit, it develops such a random, badly wit, unpredictable and downright ridiculous plot that you can't help but wonder what comes next. Every scene seems to be a shuffle on random ideas that can barely be put together. The characters are fairly interesting and the actors do their best, but their rants are meaningless combination of words and their chemistry and general relationships are vague and unbearably cringe. The jokes don't land. There is absolutely no sense of realism or common sense in the day to day interactions portrayed. I describe it as cringe for a lack of a better word. I am just in awe that $120 million dollars were put to such waste.

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Daniel W

@RT96285757 Aug 13

It’s funny, romantic, the performance isn’t bad, but it is very predictable. Yet from this talent you’ed expect more. But either way it was sweet and deserves more than a 31%.

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James L. Brooks

Director

Reese Witherspoon

Lisa

Owen Wilson

Matty

Paul Rudd

George

Jack Nicholson

Charles

Kathryn Hahn

Annie

How Do You Know: Official Clip - You're a Moron!

1:24

How Do You Know: Official Clip - I Bribed an Egyptian

3:02

How Do You Know: Official Clip - You Didn't Get It?!

4:24

How Do You Know: Official Clip - Temporary Amnesia

3:44

How Do You Know: Official Clip - Can I Come Over?

2:01

How Do You Know: Official Clip - You Love Me Too

2:43

How Do You Know: Official Clip - The Play-Doh Story

2:21

How Do You Know: Official Clip - A Confident Break-up

1:10

How Do You Know: Official Clip - Awkward Date

3:21

How Do You Know: Official Clip - Sexy Clapping

1:11

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Synopsis

Lisa Jorgenson's (Reese Witherspoon) entire life has been defined by softball, but at 31, she is deemed too old to play and cut from the team. After being cast adrift, she begins a fling with Matty (Owen Wilson), a charming womanizer who plays professional baseball. About the same time, she goes on a blind date with George (Paul Rudd), a businessman on the hook for stock fraud. Caught in a romantic triangle with the two men, Lisa ponders the meaning of love.

Director: James L. Brooks
Producer: James L. Brooks, Paula Weinstein, Laurence Mark, Julie Ansell
Screenwriter: James L. Brooks
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Production Co: Gracie Films
Rating: PG-13 (Some Strong Language|Sexual Content)
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 17, 2010, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 22, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $30.2M
Runtime: 2h 1m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS