Writer/director Nancy Meyers (What Women Want, Something’s Gotta Give) directs Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin in a romantic-comedy about the tricky complications of middle-aged affairs.
Jane (Streep) is the mother of three grown kids, owns a thriving bakery and has – after a decade of divorce – an amicable relationship with her ex-husband, attorney Jake (Baldwin). But when Jane and Jake find themselves out of town for their son’s college graduation, things start to get complicated. An innocent meal together turns into an affair.
With Jake remarried to the much younger Agness (Lake Bell), Jane is now, of all things, the other woman. Caught in the middle of their renewed romance is Adam (Martin), an architect hired to remodel Jane’s kitchen. Healing from a divorce of his own, Adam starts to fall for Jane, but soon realizes he’s become part of a love triangle.
There’s actually nothing complicated about this grown-ups’ romantic-comedy from Nancy Meyers. She directed What Women Want, the themes of which play out here in a film designed purely as cinematic comfort food. That means plenty of prestige and age-related angst afforded to Meryl Streep’s character, Jane, a successful divorcee who finds herself fending off the attention of two men. That’s when she’s not busy presiding over her dream business and three impossibly perfect kids (and son-in-law, played by The Office’s John Krasinski, the least cheesy of the brood). Or hosting her conniving girlfriends in a mansion dripping with good taste. Did we mention she bakes?
As predictable and middle-class as it is, It’s Complicated is also funny, warm and charming, an unapologetic chick-flick that aims for broad laughs. You’d have to be going through a divorce not to find it amusing to see a nude Alec Baldwin attempt to be seductive or Streep and Steve Martin sharing a reefer at her teenaged son’s party. Streep spends much of the film giggling as though the effects never wore off but there’s something easy and adorable about the leads bouncing off each other in roles their personalities meant them to play. Teens might baulk at the prospect of 50-somethings talking about sex (and getting down to it) but for everyone else the belly-laughs come frequently; the tears do too.
By Rebecca Barry Hill, Flicks.co.nz
I haven't laughed so much in ages. Great movie, excellent cast - well worth a watch.
one of the best movies ever
I felt like a laugh and this is what I got. I love Meryl Streep and she fills these roles so well. A very funny moment with a laptop and just a great easy going tale of a light hearted love affair with the ex.
3 way relationships con be complicated and this film does it so well. There is laugh out loud and emotional stuff here. The pot smoking scene at the party is really funny. Would easily see again
Laugh out loud funny but then Meryl Streep can do no wrong. It is one of those movies you watch again and again
Like all Meyers’ films, it’s more about interior design porn than real human emotions and drags on for far too long. Still, Streep, Krasinski and Baldwin are so good, they almost make it work. Almost.
What Meyers doesn't do is take chances. She sticks to formula and predictability. In "Complicated," this is as much a matter of casting as writing.
It's Complicated drags on for longer than necessary, losing steam and laughs about three quarters of the way through, but with Streep and her co-stars in such fun fine form, it's easy to stick it out.
You don't have to feel guilty for lapping up this froth. Just don't expect nourishment.
The sum is a comedy that starts out slow and talky, picks up speed - and sexiness, and hysterics - somewhere in the middle, then drags to a stop when everyone starts confessing their feeeelings.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 21st Jan 2010.
Release date: January 21st 2010.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
