Saved Singles: Think Like a Man Review

By Tatianah Green

The theaters were packed this weekend to see the highly anticipated film adaption of the New York Times Bestseller “Think Like a Man” penned in part by entertainer Steve Harvey. The self-help book turned motion picture exceeding box office predictions and garnered over $30 million its opening weekend! Although he has a long way before joining the ranks of Tyler Perry in terms of bringing more black films to the show, audiences were more than happy to get in their seats and see what the hype was about (me included). Think Like a Man has a lot of comedy, but from a Christian perspective, it should not be taken seriously; I’ll explain why later.

 As a person who loves to discuss dating and relationships, I read Steve Harvey’s hit book years ago and never thought it would turn into a star-studded romantic comedy.  The movie revolves around a group of guy friends and the women that they fail and succeed with in dating. When the women discover the Steve Harvey book, they begin to apply it to their dates and that’s when the real love games begin. I’ll try not to spoil it for those who haven’t seen it yet but it includes at least four themes from the book:

The 90-day rule
How to deal with Mama’s boys
How to get the ring
Potential vs. achieved success

From a BCS perspective on this film most of the characters stick to the book as if it was the Bible, which can represent a number of singles who need advice or help in the areas of love and relationships. Steve Harvey makes some notable points in his book and the film, but no one knows men, women and love more than God does! That’s kind of what B.L.I.S.S. is for, to let singles know that the best relationship advice you can get is from the word of God. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” -1 John 4:8. 

Each of these scenarios is dealt with a lot of humor and a dose of realism. Everyone can identify with someone in this film and if not them then a friend, because we all have that one friend…right? Which leads me to one example in the film. Meagan Good’s character, Mya, portrays a woman who is tired of getting played and decides to put the no sex for 90-days rule into practice. Her close friend questions her if that’s even a possible feat for her to take on, so Mya has to prove to herself that things will go different this time than before. Even though we may try to do what’s right, it may come off as strange, “not like us,” or just plainly not supported by our friends or family. 

If being celibate is a new thing for you and you want to wait to have sex until marriage, that’s great! If your friends don’t really get it, that’s okay, stick to your convictions and go for the goal; there are plenty of benefits to not having premarital sex (another post for another day). Again I will not spoil the movie but much can be said about her character in this film. 

While the challenges to abstaining from sex are real, TLAM had a joke in the film that could have been an ouch moment for believers. Two of the characters are getting hot and heavy, their bodies wanting to go to the next level. The woman says basically that she doesn’t [normally] have sex on the first date; do you know what the guy says? “I’m a Christian too…” and the “discussion” is over as they continue what they were doing. 

Let’s be real saints: that was a media reflection of how Christians today are perceived in the areas of dating and relationships. We are perceived as weak minded, claiming we love Jesus but are not following in the path He set out for us to keep our bodies pure but instead we fornicate and shack up as the worldly people do; that’s why that scene was played up as comedic. 

That small moment in the movie may have brought laughs to some, but at the end of the day the secular world tried to check us. Despite the jokes, there are plenty of women and men who trust God and hold themselves up to a standard and refrain from premarital sex or other elements addressed in the movie.  Since this film can’t take me seriously as a Christian woman, I can’t take it seriously as a romantic comedy with a “lesson.” It’s clear that believers need to be aware of the shots aimed at us because we are supposed to be different than everyone else and not date like the world does.

 We need our own romantic comedies to showcase that true love waits and doesn’t mock our beliefs. 

1 Thessalonians 4:1-7 sums it up perfectly:

“Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what the commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God;

That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all as such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” 

What did you think of Think Like a Man? Tweet us at @BLISS_BCS