By KAMILA KNAUDT

“How to be Single” is an unexpected surprise and should be on everyone’s must see list. The film goes farther then your average girl-oriented comedy. Viewers were pleasantly surprised when “How to be Single” exceeded all expectations and presented audiences with a perfect blend of cleverly planned jokes and a great storyline.

There are not many comedies that actually have story lines. Most comedies end with a cliché, where boy meets girl and they live happily ever after or something along those lines.

Each comedy has its own original set of jokes and characters but, for the most part, they stick to the same plot and this usually results in a lack depth. “How to be Single” threw all of these stereotypes out the window.

After watching the trailer, viewers may have expected a comedy similar to “Bridesmaids” and “Pitch Perfect,” when in fact we got more. “How to be Single” featured clever “Lord of the Rings” and “Friends” references, which were quite refreshing.

The comedy world has been dominated with films that are so ridiculous that they are funny, but “How to be Single” was just the opposite. The audience chuckled as the characters took day-to-day moments and brought out the humor in these ordinary conversations and reactions.

“How to be Single” follows the lives of six different characters all connected by their love troubles. Each character is battling their own issues when it comes to dating, some like Alice, played by Dakota Johnson, want nothing else but to be happily in love, while others like Alice’s best friend Robin, played by Rebel Wilson, want nothing but to be single forever.

Each character has his or her own take on what love means to them and what they want out of a relationship. Viewers can connect with each character as they go through a journey filled with one-night stands and heartbreak.

The story is written in a way where the audience can get into each character’s head and see from their point of view what their love life is like. Each character has his or her own story and the film follows each one’s lives as they cross and connect with other characters in the movie.

Alice is the typical fresh-out-of-college, 20-something-year-old who wants to find herself and figure out what she wants in life. Moving to New York City, Alice leaves behind her boyfriend of four years Josh, played by Nicholas Braun, in an attempt to discover whom the real Alice is.

Soon after a few months of fun, Alice realizes that she is not that girl and she wants to go back to how her life was in college, just to realize that life does not wait for anyone. Alice is hit with the reality that Josh has moved on and is happy with his new life that doesn’t include her. Trying to cope with the news, Alice goes on as if everything is okay and tries her best to show everyone she’s “fine” when in fact, heartbreak is never something anyone can get over quickly.   “How to be Single” follows Alice’s journey to the realization that it is okay to not be “fine” and to express the pain one truly feels, and only then can one truly be fine and move on.

Other characters like Tom, played by Anders Holm, have similar revelations were they realize that being single is scary and sometimes we push everyone away in an attempt to show everyone we are fine being single, when in fact we are just scared of getting hurt. Tom is the master of one-night stands and non-commitment, but soon he realizes that no one wants to be alone forever.

At the end of the film, Tom is rejected by who he thinks is the right girl for him, and the audience realizes “How to be Single” is not the cliché romantic comedy. But, in fact, it is realistic and shows everyone that at times things don’t work out the way you think they would and, in the end, everything happens for a reason and is a learning experience.

Viewers leave the theater reflecting on what their love situation is, but at the same time not feeling like it’s necessary to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. With many romantic comedies, one is left feeling alone and wanting to have that special someone with whom to laugh. But “How to be Single” is different because each viewer is left thinking about love but not feeling alone. The whole movie is based on the idea that it’s okay to be alone, something new when it comes to romantic comedies.

“How to be Single” is unlike any movie out there today. It’s a feel-good movie for anyone that is feeling alone, male or female. It’s a realistic comedy that strays from the usual comedy equation and shows audiences the humor in everyday life, making it a realistic comedy about love. Not just another cliché rom com to add to the list.

• “How to be Single”
• Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
• Admission Price: $11.90
• Release Date: Feb. 12, 2016, Flower Films
• Starring: Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, and Leslie Mann
• Director: Christian Ditter
• Run Time: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Rating: R