Existential angst takes a quirky turn in this hilariously funny story about a young man's search for himself. Poor Art, alone in himself he is trying his best to "do the right thing", but what exactly that means to him is unclear. His only goal appears to ascribe a wish to be a writer/musician, but his talent seems not to bear toward his goal.Art's lack of direction is further confused by his enlistment of a self-help guru whose help is complicated by his own disappointed life experiences. Lacking a clear sense of direction from family, friends and a supposed professional, his only recourse seems to be to rely on his innate feelings about what he wants out of life.Art, as portrayed by Robert Pattinson, is at times, funny, whinny, self-absorbed, confused, and as retrospectively ridiculous as all of us can be at that age. Mr. Pattinson's portrayal is hilariously funny and almost campy and as always, he makes the movie even more watchable.

I thought this movie was excellent. I didn't see the "comedy," but I've never understood British humor. It was very well acted. After a few moments, I no longer saw Pattinson, just Art. As a huge Pattinson/Cullen fan, that speaks volumes for his acting talent. Pattinson is far more than a pretty face. He brings to life all of Art's insecurities and anxieties - I felt all of that. I wanted to grab him, shake him, and scream at him to get over it, already. This wasn't a light-hearted movie that you sit back and relax with - be prepared to feel a wide range of emotions. I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys character pieces.

'How To Be' starts off strong but quickly turns into a drawn-out yawn of a movie. The plot progresses slowly and the character development of Art, played by a blasé Robert Pattinson, turns the viewer from understanding and caring (about what happens to his relationships) to annoyance. His mates are, in my opinion, there to fill the gaps in the story- they really never help Art in his quest for 'normal' and to be blunt- it was too difficult to understand what they were saying (at one point I had to turn on the subtitles so I knew what was going on) this is never a good sign.There is hope, however, for the young Mr. Pattinson. Though Art seems like a lost cause from the first moment he lies, Robert in a small way- keeps this movie a float. At some points Art is such a downer (which is brought on by his own doing) that I found it hard to 'put' myself through the rest of the movie. There are comedic moments when Pattinson is charming and moments when he holds your attention (close to the end) but it does not change the outcome of the overall film witch just leads one to believe- yes, sometimes we all need a little help- and in this case it is the film that needs it.'How To Be' could be considered an art house flick but it is 100% and Indie drama. The settings are the streets of England and the overall production creates the feeling that you are standing in the midst of their conversations (when you can understand them) and the music helps the movie along nicely, but then again the music is by and large,too drab.

When the lights dimmed in the Canal Place Cinema, I didn't know exactly what to expect. Within mere moments, I'd forgotten that I was in the heart of New Orleans and found myself completely enthralled with the opening words; a curious and heartbreaking monologue by the film's main character, Art. By the time his face entered the frame, there was no trace of "Robert Pattinson", there was simply Art, awkward and tender, wholly befuddled by the biting world he attempted to navigate.There is something so uniquely true to life about this film. It explored the murky themes of family bonds and the all-too-often lacks thereof, the lonely defeat of indecision and that maddening dance of knowing exactly who you want to be, but finding yourself completely eluded by how to be that person. Of course, just like life, even in the darkest of mind states there is laughter and those who stand by your side. Those who perhaps see that you are farther along than you'd have yourself believe.What inspired me most was the theme of perseverance in the face of echoing fiascoes. And the beautiful depiction of the gritty truth that sometimes you must strip yourself down and let go of the familiar in order to clear the debris from your path. I've seen no better representation of this reality facet than that which takes place when Art finally decides to seize control of his personal veracity and his place here on Earth.I've often described this movie as "perfect", an audacious description that I do not bestow lightly. The soulful direction of Oliver Irving serves as a magnifying glass over the raw and genuine performances of the superbly selected cast. Each actor brings his/her best to the table and seem to share with each other the exact notion of what the story is all about; breathing irrefutable life into this polished gem of an indie film.The dynamic between Art, Ronny and Nikki was so natural and well-executed that I quite honestly forgot they were merely fictional friends in a film. Their ad-libbed endeavors were so flawless that a missed beat did not exist and undoubtedly added to the authenticity of their quirky, endearing friendships.Johnny White had me rolling in the aisles as the quick-witted, flat-dwelling, nitrous-huffing Ronny. The best thing about his portrayal was the fact that he brought the funny in a big way without his character realizing just how amusing he was. Not to take away from his dramatic ability, however; for one of the most surprisingly downhearted elements of the film was his to bear.Mike Pearce, who described himself as the epitome of the non-actor, shined as Nikki, the flamboyant go-getter who loved the ladies and brought some much needed lightheartedness to the trio of lovable misfits. I'm very much inclined to respectfully disagree with his humble self-assessment and look forward to seeing him on the big screen in the future.Robert Pattinson's performance was above and beyond anything I could have imagined, and I went into this movie with high expectations for this role. Through him, Art came to life in a way that I've never experienced in a film and for 85 glorious minutes I shared his dolor, his elation, his anxiety and his laughter as though I was watching the story of someone I'd known my whole life. His approach to Art's graceless good intentions was one of exceptional skill that you seldom find in a relatively inexperienced actor.Simply put, he is brilliant; a knowledge that doesn't really hit you until the credits start rolling when you remember that it was in fact Pattinson and not solely Art that you'd been watching and fervently routing for during the last hour and a half.To bottom line it; this movie is a down-right hilarious journey through the dark struggles of a misshapen diamond in the rough. It left this movie-goer breathless, deep in thought and comforted by the true fact that sometimes we all need a little help and the best person for the job is ultimately yourself.