How to Be Single

Christian Ditter's English-language debut arrived in February 2016 with a simple question: what happens when you stop looking for the one and start looking for yourself? Adapted from Liz Tuccillo's 2008 novel, the film follows Alice Kepley (Dakota Johnson) as she trades her small-town comfort for the chaos of Manhattan. She leaves boyfriend Josh (Nicholas Braun) behind, convinced that independence requires solitude. But the city has other plans. Enter Robin (Rebel Wilson), a coworker whose approach to single life involves unapologetic hedonism, bar-hopping, and a philosophy that treats commitment like a trap door.

Produced on a $38 million budget by New Line Cinema, MGM, and Drew Barrymore's Flower Films, the movie earned $112 million globally. Its ensemble includes Leslie Mann as Meg, Alice's sister and a successful OB-GYN who opts for single motherhood via sperm donor. Alison Brie plays Lucy, a paralegal who treats dating apps like a full-time job. Damon Wayans Jr. and Anders Holm round out the cast as David and Tom, two men offering very different models of masculinity. Shot in New York City and Atlanta, the film carries an R rating for sexual content, language, and some drug use.[edit]

Alice Kepley arrives in New York City fresh out of college, convinced that she needs to be alone before she can be with anyone else. She has left her boyfriend Josh in their hometown, promising to reunite after a year. On her first day at a law firm, she meets Robin, a paralegal who treats the office like a launching pad for nightly adventures. Robin introduces Alice to a world of casual hookups, hangovers, and the art of the strategic exit. Meanwhile, Alice's older sister Meg, a driven OB-GYN, decides to have a baby on her own terms, using a sperm donor and navigating pregnancy alone.

At the firm, Lucy obsessively searches dating apps for Mr. Right, constructing elaborate theories about profile pictures and first-message etiquette. She meets Tom, a bartender who believes that love is a myth and commitment a trap. Their chemistry is immediate, but their philosophies clash. David, a widower and single father, enters Alice's orbit through a chance encounter. He offers something different: patience, vulnerability, and a real connection. But Alice isn't sure she's ready for anything real.

Meg struggles with the physical and emotional toll of single motherhood, while Lucy confronts the gap between her romantic ideals and the messy reality of dating. Alice oscillates between Robin's hedonistic advice and her own longing for stability. A visit from Josh complicates things further, forcing her to question whether her quest for independence is genuine or just a way to avoid commitment. The film weaves these stories together against a backdrop of New York bars, apartments, and streets, asking whether being single is a problem to solve or a life to live.[edit]