Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel) is a gorgeous, fun-loving guy who works as a technical director at a broadcast network. And he just loves women way too much to commit to any one of them.
Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl) owns and runs her own pastry shop where she cooks everything herself. She is much more emotional and romantic compared to Messer. And the only thing these two have in common are mutual best friends Alison and Peter (Christina Hendricks and Hayes MacArthur), who are in a serious relationship and they think it was a good idea for Eric and Holly to meet and hook up.
Unfortunately, Eric and Holly detest each other and can’t even complete one date. Both would be glad to never see the other one again but Alison and Peter get married and start a family- the big house and a kid named Sophie included. Of course being their best friends, Eric and Holly spend a lot more time together than they would like- being Sophie’s godparents and all.
But when both Alison and Peter die in a car crash, not liking each other becomes the least of their problems. Messer and Holly find out that they were picked as Sophie’s guardians. While neither is sure they can handle it, it looks like they’re Sophie’s best option. So this is where the story really begins- when they move in to their friends’ house and try to adjust their lives – work and private- around Sophie. Of course they need to convince themselves and the social worker (Sarah Burns) that they can handle it.. Throw in Messer being a chick magnet and the handsome doctor Sam (Josh Lucas) interested in Holly and their lives as they know it had never been so complicated…
**
I wasn’t looking forward to see Life As We Know It at first. I thought it was going to be annoying mushy and predictable. And while it was predictable, it was never annoying. It was a bittersweet, emotional film that focused more on how the unlikely “parents” tried, and then learned to be parents than the relationship between the two leads. Sure, there will be romance at some point. But come on- you know that you don’t cast Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl as the two leads and not make their characters hook up.
But the best part of the film is that it tells a familiar tale in such a fun and sincere way that it makes it really easy to identify with Holly and Messer as they try their best to take care of Sophie, find a way to get along and cope with their friends’ deaths.
And if you have a problem with Heigl’s comedic abilities, worry not. While there are funny moments, this is not exactly a comedic role.
Lovely film. It won’t change your life. It won’t impress you much. But it really might put a smile on your face.
Directed by Greg Berlanti. Written by Ian Deitchman & Kristin Rusk Robinson. Currently rated at 6 on IMDB.
Fun notes:
– Sophie is played by real life triplet sisters Alexis, Brynn & Brooke Clagett.
– Sarah Burns once again co-stars in a neurotic role. You might remember her as Rashida Jones’ best friend who totally freaked Jason Segel out in the comedy I Love You, Man.
Favorite Scene:
Right before and during the baby’s first steps. Messer and Holly’s reactions are hilarious and so is the baby.
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