BY MIKEY MIGO
I wanted to see this movie because of the cast. When you put Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O’Dowd, and the awesome Adam Scott on a screen together then I’m going to go out of my way to see it. This movie was written, produced, and directed by Jennifer Westfeldt. She’s also pretty much the lead with Adam Scott. I know she’s Jon Hamm’s partner and that she’s also an actress. I know I’ve seen her in stuff before, but this is my first conscious impression. The lady rocks it. In so many of these movies the female leads is a little annoying and the guy is the “savior” of the story. I didn’t get that vibe from this movie. It felt honest and right. She and Adam Scott’s characters are seeing their couple friends evolve from being frisky to hateful, independent to overwhelmed parents, and just basically happy to aggravated. The reason is because they all had kids. Maya Rudolph and Chris O’Dowd are constantly stressed out. Jon Hamm and Wiig have so much resentment for each other that it’s often uncomfortable. There is just tons of tension there. The two friends without the relationship or kids decide to basically “co-own” a kid. They love each other and are friends, but they’re not looking for “that” kind of relationship. They have the kid and then have to deal with their own source of aggravation and stress. Does it work out in the end? You’ll have to watch it. Really, you should though. It’s a really good movie. The chemistry of the cast is very enjoyable and there are some really good performances. There is a drunken tirade that Jon Hamm goes on that is as vicious and emotional as ANYTHING I’ve seen him do. It was awesome. Adam Scott does great too as the “leading man”. I’ve always been a fan of the guy going back to “Boy Meets World”. Dude had come a long way. This is the Jennifer Westfedt show though… and that’s a good thing! Her script was pretty damn awesome and the camera work was beautiful. I like movies like this because it reminds me of those old gritty New York Woody Allen movies. That’s the kind of swagger this movie had, but it was still grounded in its realism. It’s not really a movie meant for kids. I’m sure younger folks will laugh at the jokes and enjoy the characters, but you really have to be at least in your mid 20’s to “feel it”. The stories here are REALLY relatable. I have my share of friends with kids. I think the only thing this movie didn’t cover was the abundance of “my kid is so cute” pictures and comments on Facebook. A-
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