REVIEW: Life As We Know It

DROWN IN SYRUP

Way back 1n 1987, in film called Baby Boom, successful careerwoman Diane Keaton was taught the value of motherhood when she was saddled with a baby. Years later, in films like The Switch and The Back-Up Plan, with dozens of others in between, Hollywood is still selling the idea of taming women (and sometimes men) with babies.

Greg Berlanti’s Life As We Know It, has Holly (Katherine Heigl), pretty and ambitious owner of a bakery, cut to size, when she inherits not just a baby, but also a reluctant guy Eric (Josh Duhamel). Their best friends die and these two are appointed as the guardians of one-year-old moppet Sophie (played by the Clagget triplets). The very predictable predicament is that Holly and Eric can’t stand each other, and cute little Sophie does nothing but poop and cry, which would drive real parents mad, leave aside befuddled singles forced to play ‘House’ in luxurious home of their dead friends.

Typically—and this film throws up not a single surprise—Holly is an uptight kind who can’t find a guy, and Eric is a player, who picks up women wherever he goes. Neither like the idea of caring for the baby but are decent enough to do the right thing, which is what somewhat redeems this film that would otherwise have set your teeth on edge. Holly actually runs into a sweet, dimpled pediatrician (Josh Lucas), and for a minute you are pleased that a woman in a film has chosen sensibly, but no, there has to be this pining for the bad boy and a breathless rush to the airport, a device that Bollywood had done to death.

To add sugar to the syrup are a bunch of neighbours always at hand—including a now mandatory gay couple—and the kid’s cuteness is laid on thick. Even the social worker assigned to this strange case is a nutcase. Obviously, Hollywood audiences are not yet gagging at this kind of old-fashioned romcom , so they pop up with undesirable frequency. There is a set of actresses–like Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and now Katherine Heigl around to play these parts, and the hunks who play their romantic interests are quite interchangeable too. In the old days, Katherine Hepburn played the sharp foil to the hero in romcoms, and then Goldie Hawn took over to play the airhead; till Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts were in control, things weren’t as bad… now the formula is wearing so thin, the holes are showing.

Comments

[Deepa Deosthalee]

Excellent review. Glad I missed it. Can't deal with one more stupid rom-com.

[deepagahlot]

Stupid is the key word.