"IT'S COMPLICATED" is the Funniest Rom Com in Years

[Carl M. Zapffe]

"IT'S COMPLICATED" ('09) ... This is a smart, perceptive romantic comedy even though most of its stars are close to being senior citizens. It is genuinely entertaining, and it is also very funny. I haven't laughed this much in a theater in ages. It is rewarding to see a film made for those of us who are older, sadder, and wiser instead of another comedy made for teenagers. 

Given the economics of making movies today, there aren't a lot of films out there being made for senior citizens, but many of the ones which are have been due to Nancy Meyers. Besides writing the script and directing this intelligent and well-acted romantic film, Meyers has been involved with many of the better romantic comedies to come out during the past few years including "Something's Gotta Give," "What a Woman Wants," and "Father of the Bride." She is such a formidable talent that she can direct, produce, or write the script for a movie, or even do all three tasks together with distinction. Her life experiences have no doubt added to the rich patina which she brings to her films as someone who, like many of the stars she directs, is also in her golden years. 

This movie is a rare delight during a period when many recent romantic comedies have fallen flat on their cinematic faces. Like last year's "500 Days of Summer," another highly recommended "rom com," this film clicks because it is really an anti-romantic comedy rather than being just another formulaic man meets woman situational exploration. Ending up together is not the goal here, whereas learning how to cope with the difficult choices in life is. The theme of this film is that men and women in their fifties and sixties can be just as foolish as teenagers when it comes to love. You would think that they might know better and would make better choices, but they don't. 

Meryl Streep stars as Jane Adler, a career woman as the owner of a successful restaurant specializing in baked goods, but someone who is star crossed when it comes to love. Long divorced from Jake Adler (Alec Baldwin), she still occasionally runs into him with Agness (Lake Bell), his much younger wife. As the movie opens, they meet at a wedding for mutual friends, and soon it will be in New York City for the college graduation of their youngest child.

As luck would have it, Jane and Jake have the opportunity and the inclination to recapture some of their old romantic spark in quickie trysts which prove to be magical, but problematic. Jake finds cheating with his ex to be a release from the pressure of trying to keep up with his current wife. Jane enjoys the sex, but finds that their affair is hindering the development of a new relationship with Adam (Steve Martin), the talented architect who will be building the addition on her house. And their grown children find their supposedly divorced parents being together on more than friendly terms to be just plain weird.

Sadly, both of them realize with deep regret that they are now giving each other the attention which they never had time for before. Jake finds himself admiring his former wife because she "has it all together." He also wistfully realizes that life with a much younger wife is not always fun and games and that the demands of a growing family are possibly more than he wants to handle. 

With these thoughts in his mind, he sees Jane as an appealing oasis of calm and this only adds to the pleasure of the new "benefits" that they are sharing. The fact that she is also a great cook is a further inducement for this overweight ex-husband. Meanwhile their grown children look askance at the rapprochement of their formerly antagonistic parents and they wonder what the heck is going on. The most mature person in the family seems to be Harley (John Krasinski, "Away We Go"), their son-in-law who is married to the eldest daughter. Sorting this out and acting like grownups again will take some introspection along with a lot of laughs for those who have the pleasure to see this film. (A-, GO SEE IT!)

Carl M. Zapffe,

The Cat's Meow Movie Critic

http://www.catsmeowmoviecritic.com