How to Tell You’re a Douchebag – Review

Let’s be honest, a majority of the guys in romantic comedies are douchebags. In most cases, they’re either egoistical, afraid of commitment, perverted, childish, sexist, paranoid, possessive, obnoxious, creepy, manipulative, liars, misogynists, or all of the above. Despite their behavior, though, these guys always live happily ever after and the audience is expected to root for them. What’s so refreshing about How to Tell You’re a Douchebag is that it doesn’t present its leading man in a positive light. Hell, the title of the movie literally indicates that he’s a douchebag. This makes the character much easier to identify with and even enjoy. Of course it also makes him much easier to despise.

The douchebag in question here is Ray Livingston (Charles Brice), an African American freelance writer who makes a living off his blog: “Occasionally Dating Black Women.” Although Ray acts like he wants to settle down, he’s constantly sleeping around with various ladies and only thinking of himself. This womanizer finally meets his match upon bumping into Rochelle Marseilles (DeWanda Wise), a fellow writer who sees Ray for exactly what he is. Despite getting off on the wrong foot, Rochelle eventually warms up to Ray and the two enter a sort-of relationship.

So we all know what’s going to happen: Boy gets girl, boy loses girl, and boy gets girl back. Actually, no. Like so many other male protagonists in rom-coms, Ray spends a majority of the movie doing despicable things. Never for a second does the film condone Ray’s actions, however. Writer/director Tahir Jetter understands that his central character is a deplorable person and treats him as such. What’s more, Jetter sticks to his guns and doesn’t try to make Ray more likable. Even when it appears Ray has learned a lesson in the end, we get the sense that he’s just going to fall back into old habits.

Come to think of it, hardly anybody in How to Tell You’re a Douchebag is a good role model or even necessarily a good human being. Although Rochelle paints herself as a smart, independent woman, she clearly doesn’t have her life figured out. In addition to being won over by the slimy Ray, she’s also sleeping with a another jerk, hilarious played by Alexander C. Mulzac. None of these characters are especially sympathetic, but it’s hard to deny that there’s a fair deal of honesty to them.

Although the title almost sounds like a joke, How to Tell You’re a Douchebag ultimately has a lot to say about human nature, social media, and relationships. Even if its not the first romantic comedy to go against a norm, the film is still a welcome change of pace compared to the conventional tripe that comes off Hollywood’s assembly line. Some audience members may have a hard time getting on board with a film with such a douchey lead at its core. Unlike Zac Efron in The Awkward Moment or Matthew McConaughey in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, though, at least Ray is upfront.