By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Nancy Meyer
Starring: Alec Baldwin | eryl Streep | John Krasinski | Mary Kay Place | Steve Martin | Zoe Kazan Rita Wilson
Country: united_states
Year: 2009
Running time: 120
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1230414/
Bruce says: “After seeing only two of her films, I’m thinking that Nancy Meyers may be my guilty pleasure. In spite of Meyers concentrating on the ‘upper’ in the upper middle class IT’S COMPLICATED and SOMETHING’S GOT TO GIVE both have had me laughing in the aisles because I feel they are very real. A friend questioned me about my liking SOMETHING’S GOT TO GIVE and I admitted that these are the people I’ve spent my life trying to avoid. But that is not the point. Meyers hits the nail on the head as she cleverly sets up the most absurdly real situations for her character to wrestle with. IT’S COMPLICATED is filled with insecurities, poor judgments, ambiguity and indecision which are some of life’s most complicated ingredients, yet ones that are way too often pooh-poohed as unrealistic on the screen.
“Jane (Meryl Streep) is a successful Santa Barbara bakery owner with three children, the last of which is about to graduate from college. Lauren (Caitlin Fitzgerald) is engaged to Harley (John Krasinski); Gabby (Zoe Kazan) is leaving home; Luke (Hunter Parrish) is the baby. Her ex-husband Jake (Alec Baldwin) is remarried to a much younger woman (Lake Bell), a babe with tattoo and a five year old kid (Emjay Anthony). She desperately is trying to have a child with Jake. Jane confesses to her three girlfriends (Mary Kay Place, Rita Wilson and Alexandra Wentworth) that she hasn’t had sex in ages. Unknown to her, that is about to change. When she goes to New York for her son’s graduation she ends up in bed with Jake.
“When it rains, it pours. Shortly after beginning an affair with her ex, a new architect (Steve Martin) is put in charge of the new addition to Jane’s house. Divorced for two years since his wife ran off with his best friend, he is lonely and ripe for romance. What follows is a madcap romp involving furtive sex, children discovering their parents are adulterers, and a very funny mishap on Skype. It is unclear where Meyers is taking her story which is exactly the way it should be. Meyers may be no groundbreaker but she certainly is entertaining. Streep is her usual more-than-competent self. Baldwin is great as the unexpected Romeo. Some of the juicier moments in the film are given to John Krasinski and he nearly steals the show. 4 1/2 cats”
Diane responds: “Yes! IT’S COMPLICATED was my recent ‘guilty pleasure.’ Really fun, full of laughs, nicely ambivalent for a mainstream movie. Streep communicates so humorously with her eyes, Krasinski is great in an almost slapstick role. I was disappointed in Steve Martin–he only shone when he was stoned.”
Lisa responds: “Great review! I went to this movie expecting nothing and trying not to like it. I actually laughed out loud a few times. No easy thing as my close friends know. The only thing I could add to this review is that Baldwin looked a bit tired and worse for wear. Maybe that was what Meyers needed though to pull off the hotel room mishap.
And, I agree, Krasinski’s facial expressions were priceless.”
Chris responds: “You’re a touch too polite with the title of her previous film, which is actually SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE. I remember liking Diane Keaton in it.”
Rob responds: “Great review and great to see a film that actually speaks to an audience that doesn’t require that a film be in 3-D.
“Meyers may depict folks who are a little TOO upper middle class, but when a filmmaker knows her subject matter so well that she can accurately depict the side effects of FloMax, more power to her. Meryl has a line that I bet she never thought she’d ever say when she a student at Yale Drama School and is alone worth the price of admission”