Director: Kirk JonesCast: Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Chris Rock, Chace Crawford, Brooklyn Decker, Ben Falcone, Anna Kendrick, Matthew Morrison, Dennis Quaid, Rodrigo Santoro, Rebel Wilson
Rating: (M)
3 stars (out of 5)
In this self-help book/movie we get to follow five couples on their journey to parenthood. The weird thing is how many of the characters have D-list celebrity status, as if light comedy films have given up even trying to reflect real life.
Cameron Diaz is the trainer for a weight-loss show and she hooks up with Glee's Matthew Morrison when he is her dance partner in Dancing With the Stars. Wendy (Elizabeth Banks) owns a baby goods shop that is devoid of customers until she has an internet meltdown. She and Gary (Ben Falcone), who was in session four of the weight-loss show, have been trying for a baby but their joy when she finally gets pregnant is diminished after they learn his father Ramsey (Dennis Quaid), a retired Nascar driver, and his much younger wife are also expecting.
Everyone else also lives in this strange other world without economic consequences that Hollywood has perfected. Whether that is relaxing or annoying is up to you, but at least if you choose to go with the flow this movie has some flow to go with.
Best thing: For someone who has watched a lot of American movies about the perils of pregnancy, this was funnier than I was expecting.
Worst thing: The dude pack of dads prominently featuring Chris Rock was supposed to be a Greek chorus of comedic delight. It is not.
See it with: Your copy of the book, to see if your favourite case studies have made it into the Hollywood fluff.
- By Christine Powley
