Steve Harvey's, new movie that is an offshoot of his book, Think Like a Man, Act Like a Woman is a marvelous concept. It opens this week in theaters everywhere. Take your date to see it. The brilliance is taking the book about common sense relationships, as seen by Steve, did not change its purpose. The comedian provides expertise from a Black male perspective on what women should and shouldn't do to tie down Mr. Right. He is honest and realistic as he reveals the dos and don'ts. He is funny as he gives good old fashion advice on the reality tip. The book translates to the movie in comedic fashion.
The book developed from him listening as a radio show host to the conversations of his women listeners and he responds to their situations with common sense approaches. He talks as a man and tells the truth, that girlfriends don't always know. He speaks from a pure male base, a base that has included several marriages and mistakes along the way to his now happy state. He married a woman who had standards, he comments often on how women today don't always have high standards. He tells women how men think and what signals are good and bad. He tells women what men really think and what they think about. He provides male secrets. He gives men values in relationships from the cookie (sex) to cooking to family relationships.
The book is popular because in this celebrity-driven society we live in, everybody wants to know about the relationship drama and the relationship reality. In the Black community, Black working, educated women outnumber Black professional men and Black fathers in the household are becoming a rare breed, for some reason. No matter where you go and whom you talk to the subject of relationships is the topic of discussion.
The movie showcases with humor and a dose of reality several couples and how they find themselves. There is the mama's boy, whose challenge is to untie the apron strings. He falls in love with a single young mother and eventually makes her the focus of his life as he breaks away from mama, who is beginning to pursue her own love life. There is the woman tycoon who falls in love with the unemployed chef and likes him for pure passion reasons. She learns her real feelings as she tries to reunite with an old boyfriend, who is on her personal track, but does not feel her. She wakes up and gets to what matters. There is the divorced young man who complains about his wife's fussing and tracking only to find out as a single man he misses the comforts of home and eagerly returns to complaints and all. There is the mixed racial couple, recently out of school, who are transcending into responsible modern living.
Steve Harvey is interfaced in the movie through talk TV appearances. The women listen, whether they want to or not. Steve raises questions on how soon should a woman have sex with a man she has begun to date. He establishes the 90-day rule, just like a job on probation. He gives women five important questions to determine the seriousness of the relationship.
The turn of the movie is when the men become aware of the book and began to read it and employ the tactics as the relationships develop. In essence, they turn the tables up side down, with all due respect.
If you are single and looking or happily married or recently divorced or considering this is book and movie for you. You will get a good laugh and see some of your friends and maybe even yourself. And you might improve your relationship with the keen observations in the contemporary humor.