It’s Complicated Movie Review

Written on December 28, 2009 by Marc Eastman in Movies

It certainly is complicated, there’s no doubt about it, but does it deliver anything worth bothering with? It’s Complicated is the story, more or less, of Jane (Meryl Streep) and Jake (Alec Baldwin). Divorced for a decade, but finally somewhat amicable, the two will run into each other by way of one of their three children’s college graduation. Meeting at the hotel bar, they make the most of being cordial, drink a lot, and end up sleeping together.

Jake cheated on Jane all those years ago, and ended up marrying his mistress (after she had a fling on him which resulted in a child). Jane took several years getting over it, but has finally gotten a restaurant for herself and some idea of who she is… even if she hasn’t quite managed to get into another relationship. So, now… it’s complicated.

We also throw in Steve Martin as Jane’s architect, who is adding to the confusion as he and Jane begin sorting through the initial stages of some sort of relationship of their own.

Working through, odd as it may sound, a fairly routine course of events, Jane struggles with the idea of getting back together with Jake, but keeps sleeping with him. The affair plays out in a way that’s actually not all that complicated, but has more than the usual number of stumbling blocks. Not many couples have to sneak around their own kids.

Put forward as a comedy (even astoundingly managing nominations in the genre), It’s Complicated is the sort of movie that would generally find short synopses which can hardly avoid the phrase, “… and hilarity ensues,” except it doesn’t really. Given the fact that Steve Martin and The Office‘s John Krasinski are in it, and the fact that everyone seems to be laughing a lot (and there’s a scene with old people high on marijuana), you can hardly imagine hilarity not ensuing.

What actually ensues is mildly entertaining, but ultimately something which seems unable to decide between being funny and being Brothers & Sisters. It’s a passively complex, fun enough way to spend an evening, and there isn’t much to complain about, but one of the best things it has going for it is the fact that you will be able to watch it again for the first time by the time the DVD hits shelves.

There are a few laughs here and there, and it’s hard to imagine that many will be overly disappointed in it (barring those I can’t imagine watching it in the first place), but here is a film that attacks average with the daring bravado of the hopelessly timid in a way rarely seen from efforts with such big names. Like Jane’s now much too safe and orderly life, with everything just so, the movie feels like something analyzed into oblivion… or made by committee. Unfortunately, where Jane has this crazy series of events to shake her up, make her look around, and hopefully bring her to the realization that vicious adherence to order is perhaps not all it’s cracked up to be, the movie doesn’t.

In the end, it’s hard to avoid complimenting the film without simply mentioning the negatives that don’t apply. It’s not that bad, but that’s really as good as it is. It’s hard to feel bad doing so though, because that’s all it’s after.