Jane Adler (Meryl Streep) is a successful restaurant owner. She lives in a beautiful house, has three grown children (played by Zoe Kazan, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Hunter Parrish) great girl friends and a future son-in-love, Harley (John Karasinski) who is already a part of the family. It has taken 10 years but her life is in total balance and comfort. However when she goes to New York for her son Luke’s (Hunter Parrish)’s college graduation, she ends up running into her ex-husband/ the children’s father Jake (Alec Baldwin).
Their twenty-something-year-old marriage has ended when Jake cheated on her with the younger Agness (Lake Bell) and then married her. His relationship with Agness is complicated to say the least: she has a young son from another man and now she is trying to conceive with the 58-year-old Jake. The New York encounter leads to a fun night, followed by sex. Jane is totally freaked out. Her simple life has turned upside down. However, Jake is having the time of his life. Second-time around with Jane is easy-going and a lot of fun. Plus, Jane gets to take revenge: she is now the other woman, just as Agness once has been. However her conscience isn’t that clear. And as if things aren’t weird enough, she realizes she is also attracted to her architect- Adam (Steve Martin) who is building her dream house. Adam is nice, fun and good-looking. Not the mention, he is also divorced and has no problem dating women his age.
So who do you pick? Do you even want to pick? What happens when the kids find out?
This movie is top-notch entertainment. It is a wonderful romantic comedy. It has many emotional moments and more often than not, they are presented in a realistic but funny way. It is not always laugh-out-loud. You will find yourself smiling more often than laughing but it is not to say some scenes won’t bring (laughter) tears to your eyes. Meryl Streep is very likeable and she is at her most beautiful in her 60s. Steve Martin never really had a problem entertaining the movie-goers and while his character is charming and enjoyable, the real comedy was mostly on Alec Baldwin’s character. His Jake is downright hilarious. From his shameless admissions to his faults and flaws, from his acting like a total baby and jealousy crisis, he makes you laugh. It is funny to remember that Alex used to be considered a heartthrob in the 90s. He was fit, looked good and he was married to Kim Basinger. Remember those days? But I think while his looks deteriorated, his acting just got better. My second favorite is Harley- John Karasinski’s loveable son-in-law. He is really nice and he loves the Adler family. But his life gets really complicated as well when he becomes the first to know about the affair. I hadn’t been impressed by him when I watched him in the disaster of a romcom Licence to Wed (also starring Mandy Moore and Robin Williams). However, as he becomes co-pilot to Streep, Baldwin and Martin, he does shine through in his own way.
This movie was made in 2009, another romcom hit by writer/director Nancy Meyers. This is my fourth Nancy Meyers movie and I am one of her biggest fans. Do you recall The Holiday starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black and Rufus Swell? Or What Women Want starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt? Or Something’s Got to Give starring Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson and Keanu Reeves? All these movies have a pattern: They have an original, different and good screenplays, a spot-on direction and an impressive cast. They all balance romance with comedy well and leave you wanting more.I am positively biased when it comes to writer/directors as opposed to writers and directors alone.
6.7 on imdb. 7 from me. And if we compare it to romantic comedies alone, it is easily an 8 or 9.
Favorite scenes:
– Alec Baldwin gets caught naked to Steve Martin’s webcam.It’s in the trailer
– Jake, Jane and Harley- smoking pot together in the bathroom
*Fun note: Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin must have loved working together as they presented the 2010’s Academy Awards together. Although, their combined performances in the movie are much funnier.
Other Posts feat. Alec Baldwin
17 Changes in the Entertainment World: Featuring Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Megan Fox and More
My Sister’s Keeper starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Jason Patric and Alec Baldwin
The Good Shepherd starring Matt Damon, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie and Alec Baldwin
Here are some other romcoms you might enjoy: