How to Be Single
Performance & Direction: How to Be Single Review
Last updated: February 15, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is How to Be Single (2016) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 6.3/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Comedy.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Comedy is often anchored by its ensemble, and How to Be Single features a noteworthy lineup led by Dakota Johnson . Supported by the likes of Rebel Wilson and Leslie Mann , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
Story & Plot Summary: How to Be Single
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 2016, How to Be Single is a Comedy, Romance film directed by Christian Ditter. The narrative brings laughter through sharp writing and comedic timing, providing amusement while touching on deeper societal themes. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Dakota Johnson.
Story Breakdown
The comedic structure relies on both situational humor and character-based comedy. New York City is full of lonely hearts seeking the right match, and what Alice, Robin, Lucy, Meg, Tom and David all have in common is the need to learn how to be single in a world filled with ever-evolving definitions of love. The production finds humor in relatable situations while maintaining narrative momentum. The jokes serve the story, with callbacks that reward attentive viewers.
Narrative Structure
- Opening Hook: The opening establishes the comedic tone and introduces the central conflict through humor and character quirks.
- Character Arc: The main character shows growth throughout the story, though some supporting characters could have been more fully realized. Dakota Johnson's arc is present but occasionally predictable.
- Climax & Resolution: The comedic climax ties together recurring jokes and character arcs, delivering both laughs and emotional satisfaction.
Ending Explained: How to Be Single
Ending Breakdown: Directed by Christian Ditter, How to Be Single concludes its story with a mix of closure and open interpretation. The finale presents its approach to comedy resolution.
The conclusion addresses the core thematic questions involving Dakota Johnson, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the comedy themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of How to Be Single reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
Who Should Watch How to Be Single?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy Comedy films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of Dakota Johnson or the director
- Want some laughs and light entertainment
Box Office Collection: How to Be Single
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $38.0M |
| Worldwide Gross | $112.3M |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
How to Be Single Budget
The estimated production budget for How to Be Single is $38.0M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: How to Be Single
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Where to Watch How to Be Single Online?
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Apple TV StoreGoogle Play MoviesYouTubeHow to Be Single Parents Guide & Age Rating
2016 AdvisoryWondering about How to Be Single age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of How to Be Single is 110 minutes (1h 50m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 6.3/10, and global performance metrics, How to Be Single is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 2016 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is How to Be Single worth watching?
How to Be Single is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Comedy movies. It has a verified rating of 6.3/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find How to Be Single parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for How to Be Single identifies it as R. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of How to Be Single?
The total duration of How to Be Single is 110 minutes, which is approximately 1h 50m long.
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Critic Reviews for How to Be Single
**The young women's attempts to get the life they wanted.** Another novel based film from the director of 'Love, Rosie'. About the four young women that tells how to enjoy the life by balancing the men and the parties. Very interesting cast, hot ones like Dakota Johnson, Alison Brie and even she's in her 40s Leslie Mann looked so fantastic. The narration had layers to focus on these different people and their different attempt to get the life they wanted. In that, I kind of like Leslie's, maybe the age fact and to be touched by her love tale with decency. But Dakota and Alison led it with their glamorous way and theirs each tale as well not bad, particularly depicting the present world's youngster's culture. From the all, the biggest surprise was the Rebel Wilson, who I never liked much as I did for in this, definitely she was at her best. The story was good, seems it was squashed with the too many contents, but awesomely managed to bring them all in one direction by linking them to the main characters. So that makes the stories of everyone take place within the circle and delivered a good entertainment, Lots of fun, even though it is a pure commercial film, there are many things from it that makes us to think seriously. Particularly thinking them from the youngster's perspective about the current world status in the entertainment segment. I don't know those who are complaining about it had they watched the same film, Because it is a fine entertainment, even though it is chick film, anybody, particularly adults can have a great time. In a thin margin, there was about men as well, how they're caught between the women they are in love and those women what they believe in. I'm being a man, I really enjoyed it despite target audience is women. I know this is not a masterpiece, but definitely not the worst film of the year or decade. In the film, everyone wanted to be in the relationship, so I did not get it, but the end clarifies decently about the title. Surely worth a watch, if you want a good entertainment. _7/10_
Really good movie. Really funny and not your typical romance movie. Very raunchy comedy.
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
