Film: Friends With Kids (2011)
Cast includes: Adam Scott (Step Brothers), Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids), Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids), Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids), Megan Fox (Jennifer’s Body), Edward Burns (Sidewalks of New York)
Writer/Director: Jennifer Westfeldt (Directorial debut)
Genre: Comedy | Romance (107)
4:18 AM. It’s Julie on the phone… “Death by shark or by alligator?” “You wanna come up?” asks Jason. “Is Catherine there?” Yes, she’s in bed. “It’s ok. We’re gonna break up soon.” Julie and Jason live in the same apartment building in New York. They’ve been best friends for years… but they’re not in love! “No, that’s ok. I’ll see you tonight.” Tonight it’ll be the six of them… Ben and Missy, Leslie and Alex, Julie and Jason. Looks like Ben and Missy are late. “No, they went to the bathroom... about 20 minutes ago.” Really… they should get some kind of metal for married couples having sex. But it’s Leslie and Alex who make the big announcement… they’re pregnant. “Everything’s gonna be the same. Nothing’s going to change.” And they truly believe that.
Four years later, they’re living in Brooklyn. Babies are crying, the romance is gone and chaos reins. Jason’s birthday party at Leslie and Alex’s is a disaster. When Jason and Julie stop off at a local bar for some adult time, the song that’s playing says it all… “Turn out the lights… the party’s over. They say all good things must end.” “We don’t know those people,” Jason and Julie commiserate. They talk about some profound issues of life… “Divorced people have it great. They’ve got all the baby stuff out of the way, and now they’re free to find the person they really want to be with for the rest of their lives. And that gets Jason and Julie thinking… about having a kid together and then finding the person they really want to be with." It sounds like a great idea, until they try to explain it to Ben/Missy/Leslie/Alex. “OMG. That’s the worst idea ever.” But Ben won’t say that to Julie and Jason.
When the baby arrives, things really do seem great… everything is going according to plan. Dating isn’t a problem because that’s all part of the plan. Jason will find the love of his life. Julie will do the same. And all will be right with the world… NOT.
Just because it follows a typical romantic comedy trajectory doesn’t mean it isn’t a fun ride. There are many cute moments, lots of clever dialog and some real on-screen chemistry. The film’s writer/director, Jennifer Westfeldt, also plays the lead role. Her significant other, Jon Hamm, plays Ben. And other cast members look like off-screen friends with parenting tales to tell. It’s full of funny moments that young parents will easily relate to. “Why would you want to bring kids to a place like this?” they used to ask when parents brought kids to a nice restaurant. By the end of the movie, they know why.
2 popped kernels
BFFs decide to have a baby together and then find the person (not each other) they want to spend the rest of their lives with
Popcorn Profile
Rated: R (Sexual content)
Audience: Young adults
Gender: Co-ed
Distribution: Mainstream wide release
Mood: Upbeat
Tempo: Zips right along
Visual Style: Nicely varnished realism
Character Development: Engaging
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Pure entertainment
