How to Deal

2003
PG-13
1h 41m

IMDb RATING

5.6/10

10K

YOUR RATING

Trent Ford and Mandy Moore in How to Deal (2003)

Play trailer2:31

2 Videos

44 Photos

Comedy Drama Romance

A teenage girl learns to cope with her parents' divorce, her sister's wedding, her best friend's pregnancy, and the attentions of her first serious boyfriend.A teenage girl learns to cope with her parents' divorce, her sister's wedding, her best friend's pregnancy, and the attentions of her first serious boyfriend.A teenage girl learns to cope with her parents' divorce, her sister's wedding, her best friend's pregnancy, and the attentions of her first serious boyfriend.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.6/10

10K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Videos2

Photos44

+ 38

More like this

6.1

Chasing Liberty

6.7

Saved!

5.6

Because I Said So

5.6

Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!

6.0

6.4

4.8

5.3

5.6

5.5

5.7

5.3

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
The plot is a combination of the Sarah Dessen novels "Someone like You" and "That Summer." The first novel is the story of Halley helping Scarlett through the results of her interaction with Michael. The second novel is the story of Haven, whose parents have broken up and whose sister is planning a wedding. The stories were combined, with Dessen's approval, by reassigning Haven's family to Halley.

Goofs
When Scarlett goes over to Halley's house to discuss symptoms she is eating grapefruit. After complaining that Halley's 'perfume' smells she puts the plate of grapefruit to her right. But in the overhead shot of her and Halley we see that the grapefruit is still on the pillow in her lap.

Quotes
Halley: Some people fall in love. I had to crash into it.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Seabiscuit/Bad Boys II/How to Deal/Dirty Little Secrets/Johnny English (2003)

Soundtracks
Billy S.
Written by James Robertson and Skye Sweetnam
Performed by Skye Sweetnam
Courtesy of Capitol Records

User reviews103

Review

Featured review

6/10

struggles between quirky indie and traditional teen movie

Halley Martin (Mandy Moore) is a high school student disillusioned with love. She rolls her eyes at her sister Ashley getting married. Her mother Lydia (Allison Janney) is unhappily divorced from her DJ father (Peter Gallagher) who is getting remarried. Her best friend Scarlett Smith (Alexandra Holden) is happily in love until her boyfriend Michael suddenly dies. She's reluctantly to love until Macon Forrester (Trent Ford) finally breaks down her defenses. Scarlett finds out that she's pregnant. Lydia starts dating Steve Beckwith (Dylan Baker).

This starts off as a pretty lame teen rom-com. When it takes an unexpected turn, the movie feels like it's ready to make a honest effort. It keeps trying but the lame teen rom-com continues to reappear. Trent Ford is not capable enough to be the lead. Mandy Moore needs a better partner who is deeper than some floppy hair. It's a struggle between a quirky indie and a more traditional teen movie. There is enough to make a passable movie. Allison Janney is a fun presence. The movie takes a few too many melodramatic turns. It doesn't all work but enough of it does.