jordan hawley write and direct this dark comedy about the current state of love or hate relationship in los angeles ( or inability to create same ) with about a much panache a yesterday onion ring . the storyline have be use so many time that the tread be off the tire . la ghostwriter owen ( paul schneider ) be a nice guy who sustain an inability to form a satisfactory love relationship . exasperate with his life style he decide to become a cad represent that must be what woman ( and men ) want . he reverse his nice guy tactic and begin tell everyone he encounter just how he feel and that be usually negative . the only person who doesn not but into his change be his roommate allison ( poppy montgomery ) who be bisexual and therefore not wholly available . he decide to leave los angeles and move to the east coast where a lucrative deal await him to write the memoir of a famous man . at the last moment he meet one val ( jennifer westfeldt ) and an animal activist represent the chemistry be there but each have a conflict program . owen be honest with her and a factor that do not chase her away and but both part way to other part of the world . upon return to la after a disappointing experience on the east coast and table turn and surprise arise . and the end be a mixture of silly and unsatisfying . movie like this be meant to entertain and some of the dialogue be clever albeit acerbic . it just that the idea of relationship examination under these term be so worn out that the movie just doesn not spark any innovative thought . after about thirty minute into the film this audience lose interest .