What a concept -- a romantic comedy that is actually intelligent and geared towards adults. Hollywood used to make them all the time. But in these days of Transformers and comic book movies, they are a rarity at best. So when one comes along that is as good as It’s Complicated, it’s that much more a treat. A breezy, fun-filled adventure, It’s Complicated delivers witty dialogue, humorous situations and sparkling performances. What it doesn’t have is the formulaic plotting that often accompanies this genre. But this doesn’t come as a surprise. It is written and directed by Nancy Meyers and when it comes to romantic comedies, there are few better. She’s scripted some of the best -- including Private Benjamin, Irreconcilable Differences, Baby Boom and Father of the Bride. As a director, Meyers helmed Something’s Got to Give and What Women Want. If you’re a fan of those, It’s Complicated won’t disappoint.
Delving into the always messy arena of divorce, the film actually takes the boy meets girl, boy gets girl scenario, and puts it on its ear. In the first scene we meet Jane and Jake Adler (Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin), an amicable, but longtime divorced couple. This boy had met this girl years ago and then left her sometime in the process for a younger woman. Slowly but surely, Jane has been getting on with her life. She raised three well adjusted kids, built a successful career as a restauranteur, and settled into an idyllic home in Santa Barbara county. What’s she hasn’t quite gotten around to is a new relationship. So, as her youngest leaves for college, leaving Jane with an empty nest, the loneliness in her life begins to rear its ugly head.
The plot thickens when Jane travels to New York for her middle child’s college graduation. Jake was supposed to come with his second wife Agness. But Agness stayed home and Jake arrives alone. Jane and Jake meet up in the hotel’s bar, and after a night of fond reminiscing and too much alcohol, end up spending the night together. Jane is horrified. Jake is thrilled. Turns out being married to a hot, young woman isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. He’s of the opinion that maybe he let the best thing in his life get away 10 years ago. Jake starts pursuing Jane and, after initially resisting, she lets him. Before you can say “it’s complicated,” the exes are having an affair. The two begin sneaking around -- not only on his wife, but also behind the backs of their kids who are still showing the scars of the breakup. Also in the mix is Adam (Steve Martin), an architect adding an addition to Jane’s house. Another casualty of divorce trying to dip his toe back into the relationship pool after being burned, shy and softspoken Adam has enough trouble getting Jane’s attention, let alone expressing that he has feelings for her.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
As the scenario plays out, it explores the issue of divorce from all sides. And, atypical of many Hollywood comedies, it does it with compassion and intelligence. There are no victims or villains, just real people with real feelings trying to figure out how to act on them. But there are also real laughs in this movie, including such standout scenes as Jane and Adam going to her son’s graduation party high on pot, and a hilarious sequence in which Jake springs a nude seduction on Jane -- unaware that she is on the web video chatting with Adam at the time.
The movie essentially belongs to Streep and Baldwin. Is there anything Meryl Streep can’t do? Her performance as Jane is full of life. She makes the character sexy, confident, vulnerable, conflicted, funny and vibrant. She is ably abetted by Baldwin. His character is a bit of a buffoon, but Baldwin plays Jake with such gusto and honesty, that he never comes off as clichéd. As the reserved Adam, Martin is deliberately subdued. He’s supposed to blend into the background of Jane’s life. It’s a tribute to the veteran comic that he pulls off the performance. But he does get to shine during the party sequence where his character gets stoned.
The only other standout in the cast is John Krasinski, as the fiance of Jane’s eldest. His character is the only one who figures out what is happening between Jane and Jake and Krasinski scores some laughs as he comically processes the information. Zoe Kazan, Hunter Parrish, Caitlin Fitzgerald are fine as the three Adler children. But the characters are a little too normal. “Normal” doesn’t make much of an impression in film and they don’t. Neither does Lake Bell as Jake’s current wife. Perceived as the wedge between Jake and Jane, we’re not supposed to like her. And Meyers makes sure we don’t. But much to the filmmaker’s credit, she gives this character, as well as the children, their moments in the movie to show what they’re going through. Because a situation like this is... well... complicated. And anyone in search of thoughtful movie fare will be glad it is.
