It’s Complicated
Grade: C+ | Genre: Romantic Comedy
Summary: “It’s Complicated” is largely a dumbed down version of “Something’s Gotta Give”
Have you ever walked out of a movie thinking, “this movie so wasn’t made for me?” That’s how I felt leaving the theater after seeing “It’s Complicated.” I thought to myself my mom would love this. “It’s Complicated” is largely a dumbed down version of “Something’s Gotta Give” swapping out Meryl Streep for Diane Keaton and Alec Baldwin for Jack Nicholson. Both films are puff pieces cleverly constructed to separate the Baby Boomers from their hard earned cash on a Friday night. At least “Something’s Gotta Give” felt somewhat fresh and not bland and contrived like “It’s Complicated.” Nancy Meyers, writer of both films as well as other chick fare like “Father of the Bride” and “The Holiday,” must be running thin on ideas.
Oh where to begin. Jane (Meryl Streep) is a fifty something divorcee who runs a successful high-end bakery and is dealing with empty nest syndrome as her youngest departs for college. Jake (Alec Baldwin) is Jane’s ex-husband who has remarried an early-thirties hottie (Lake Bell) that came complete with a snot machine on her hip. For all of her success, Jane finds herself lonely and a bit lost in her own life.
The whole family descends on New York for Luke’s (“Weed’s” Hunter Parrish) college graduation. While the kids skirt off to prepare a party for Luke, Jane is left alone at the hotel bar trying deperately to feign the air of a confident and content woman. Of course, we find Jake at the other end of the bar on leave for the night from the family. The alcohol starts flowing freely and two people that couldn’t share the same room a few short years before were back in their familiar old patterns, fawning over one another and dancing the night away. The next thing you know the two are bedded up in Jane’s room romping around like they were a couple of twenty-somethings on a getaway weekend.
Thus begins the affair Jane starts with her ex-husband. She’s strangely satisfied to be able to stick it to her younger replacement, and the tryst affords her a youth and freedom she never knew she had. Then it becomes complicated. Adam (Steve Martin) is an architect working on building the new addition on her house and is completely smitten with Jane even though she treats him largely as an afterthought. The blossoming attraction turns mutual and she’s forced to face the feelings she’d long ago shelved for Jake and this new rush or excitement that comes with Adam.
You can fill in the blanks from here. There are lots of funny, compromising situations that Jane and Jake stumble their way into and several tear jerker moments that seem to be required in chick flicks. “It’s Complicated” isn’t a bad film rather it’s just unsatisfying. It’s plot is so predictable that I could have laid it out on a sheet of paper during the previews. The film follows the formula to the T and doesn’t really offer up much that is fresh and original. The characters have decent chemistry — Adam and Jane moreso than Jane and Jake. Alec Baldwin seems to be stuck in his “30 Rock” character Jack Donaghy so it’s hard to really get the Jack out of the Jake. “The Office’s” John Krasinski definitely snagged one of the few better roles in the film. As the fiancee of the eldest daughter (Caitlin Fitzgerald), he gets clued in on the affair in the early goings and has to juggle the forbidden piece of information throughout the film. I have to say though I’d rather see him front and center in starring roles like we saw with “Away We Go” earlier this year.
So if you are a Baby Boomer of the female persuasion who loves Lifetime movies and doesn’t ask much from your entertainment dollar past escape, you’ll most likely consider this one of the best films you’ve seen all year. For the rest of us, it’s better to take a pass or squirrel this away in your Netflix queue for one of those periodic lulls in good new releases.
Release Date: December 25, 2009