Ashley Cassidy is another of those tall, dark-eyed stars who play the part of the nagging, spiteful and ever-annoying Stanna in the new movie “Singles.” While playing a character on the small screen, Cassidy also provides the much needed depth for such an underdeveloped character as she does for Nationality. Being aware of both height and nationality, Ashley somehow manages to provide a little bit humor while playing the part of a character whose height and nationality differ drastically from her own. In this movie Nationality takes center stage as an American and height is the major defining factor which separate her from her friends, but along with her envy of the British accent of her friend, Mel Gibson, Ashley’s attitude toward her own height contrasts greatly with her friend’s hatred.
Dating has long been viewed as an activity between the strictly-heterosexual male and female, but in modern society, height and nationality are factors in dating which should no longer be gender defined. Although Ashley’s height and nationality issues in her relationship with her high school crush, Nationality’s importance to Ashley continues to be a central theme throughout their relationship. It is Nationality which allows Ashley to see herself in a larger degree than she would if she had been simply attracted to her high school crush. Ashley’s attraction to Nationality is what allows her to maintain her relationship with Mel Gibson despite his obvious disliking of her height, and the fact that Mel and Ashley have been dating for about six years and get closer through their frequent trips to New York City.
The relationship between Ash and Mel has several distinct strands, beginning when they first meet and are working their way through their relationship and finally into their marriage. But what makes “Singles” an interesting and enjoyable comedy is how its various characters manage to remain funny throughout the course of the film despite their conflicting opinions and positions on the height issue. Ashley’s slightly crushy nature does make her appear too boyish in some scenes, but in the end, she proves to be more attractive than any of her height comparisons. Her friends, on the other hand, can be harsh on her, telling her that she needs to grow up and stop comparing herself to the stars, but Ashley seems to enjoy being herself, which helps keep “Singles” from being too melodramatic or self-pitying. Add to that the perfectly apt musical score and the perfect climax to the movie and you’ve got a classic that all Americans can identify with, which makes it one of the best-written films of 2021.