Movie Review: What Men Want

If you ever wished that Lauren Harris (Taraji Henson’s character in Think Like A Man) had a movie, then your prayers have been answered in What Men Want. This movie has many predictable moments but still attempts to surprise.

It approaches emotional developments in characters from an intense depth and not a shallow acknowledgement of change as seen in many movies.

Taraji Penda Henson killed this role. She portrays this character to perfection. Some might argue that this is expected since she has embodied the strong, career driven, successful black woman in various movies. Truly, it might soon be her stereotype.

The storyline of What Men Want might seem familiar, and this is the reason the movie tries to switch upon itself in many ways. There are many moments that help to inject life into the movie. An example would be the steady stream of celebrity cameos.

This movie successfully caters to all ages. There is a character for every age group. Reference is made to Pete Davidson’s seven inches and that is a moment only the youngsters can appreciate.

The beautiful thing about this movie is the successful merger between black and white Hollywood. Sometimes you feel it is a black movie, but there are so many white characters and vice versa. This smooth integration between both factions is commendable.

Also, the movie sheds light on a lesser character; the assistant. Josh Brener is amazing as Brandon. We get to see his character development which is not common in movies. He is able to stand up, get his dream job and gain love. His glow up is delightful to watch, and his arc is laudable.

However, this movie has many characters who are not fully explored. It does a great job with the huge number of celebrity characters it has on board, but you remain aware of their struggle to jostle everyone around.

In summary, the title question What Men Want is answered by Aldis Hodge’s character. He says that men want to be with someone they trust, to be respected and to feel safe. Using this definition, the movie postulates that men and women actually want the same thing.

What Men Want is a movie that you think you know, but will realise you don’t. This movie leaves everyone happy and teaches valuable lessons. What else does a moviegoer want?

Genre: Romance

Directed by: Adam Shankman

Distributed by: Paramount Pictures

Have you watched What Men Want? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments.

Ndewoo!