Monday, December 28, 2009

REVIEW: IT'S COMPLICATED

Watching It's Complicated it's hard not to compare it to another movie form the same writer/director, Nancy Meyers: Something's Gotta Give. Both are romantic comedies about women of a certain age falling for men that perhaps they shouldn't. Both involve said women's children in some degree. Both have fun, sassy friends to share the ride. What SGG has was a tight script. It's Complicated is 10 minutes shorter than Something's Gotta Give and it seems an hour longer. THANK GAWD FOR MERYL STREEP!!! While the film has it's funny moments and touching moments and every other moment that is required for romantic comedy, what REALLY makes it work is Meryl Streep. She is glowing in this film. Her portrayal of a divorcee having an affair with her married ex-husband (Baldwin) is sexy, funny, heartbreaking, thoughtful and all around wonderful. Alec Baldwin as the ex-hubby is funny, if not one dimensional. Not really his fault as much as the writing. He is unhappy in his current marriage with a MUCH younger woman who has a five year old by another man. Steve Martin is the architect building onto Meryl's Jane's house. They begin dating and their relationship is the real joy to watch in this movie. Martin is as charming and funny as ever and shows that being a "good guy" pays off sometimes. Also, John Krasinski is adorable beyond belief as Jane's son-in=law who finds out about her affair with her married ex-husband and is trying to cope with keeping it a secret. The part I wanted to see more of were Jane's friends played by Rita Wilson, Alexandra Wentworth and Mary Kay Place. They are used in only two scenes and then they are gone. The movie could have been 30 minutes shorter without losing any of the story at all. But then again, every second Streep is on screen she is doing something amazy, so who knows what we might have lost. As far as romantic comedies go, It's Complicated is enjoyable and worth seeing. Don't see it, like I did, in a theatre without air conditioning though (Maybe that's why it seemed to go on forever) and don't try to compare it to Something's Gotta Give. It's Complicated will lose. Meryl for president!!!!!!!

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