The story of five expectant couples and the trials and tribulations they have to endure towards the goal of mother and fatherhood.
Pregnancy is never an easy time, but is meant to be all about "The Glow" that new mothers and sometimes fathers get in anticipation of the new addition. This film takes all of these myths and legends and boots them firmly into the bleachers.
It follows the lives of five very different couples, all experiencing the new life for the first time. Five very, very different situations into which they fall and how they experience the joy from conception to the miracle of birth. The film covers the tragedy of loss, strife, struggles, parent and sibling rivalry, miss-communication and calls "bullshit" on so many myths that perpetuate every day life.
It also shows the side of life we hardly get to hear about, that of the father and role that they play in the lives of babies, pre and post birth. For almost the first time in film, it shows the fun side of fatherhood, the joy to be had of being a dad and also how much is kept from their wives and partners. It is a refreshing look into a side of parenthood that is often glossed over.
The film covers some very difficult territory, with the sensitivity and feeling that it needs, but shows us, if you stick together, it'll all be fine in the end.
I was not too sure really what to expect with this film. I did see a number of very reluctant boyfriends/husbands dragged into the cinema, but I really do hope they were taking in the very relevant message which this film was trying to convey! It was a lot less of a comedy than I expected (there are several very talented comedic actors and actresses in this one), but more like a light-hearted look at issues which a lot of people do not like to broach. I really, really enjoyed this film!
Elizabeth Banks continues to crank out great films, and has really built herself a reputation in the past 12 months, with really decent showings in "Hunger Games" and "Man on a Ledge". In this one she takes on the role of "Wendy", a first time mom, going through the hell that can be pregnancy. To make things worse, she has to be the poster child for the pregnancy industry, but the combination can only lead to one thing, a VERY public meltdown.
Established stars Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez, give very decent showings as "Jules" and "Holly", one fighting a damaged relationship and an "oops" pregnancy, while the other has to face up to her lack of conception, and emotional fulfillment that is adoption. Brooklyn Decker shows that she is not just a pretty face (see "Battleship" for an example of this) and gives very convincing showing as the beautiful side of pregnancy in her role as "Skyler". The true star on the ladies front is Anna Kendrick, following up her stellar role in "50/50" with a real gem as the troubled and traumatized "Rosie". She continues to impress with each new film role, quite easily shedding the yoke of "Twilight" to show that she is a truly talented actress and I look forward to her next outing.
Comedian Chris Rock is superb in this film, his performance as "Vic" is both, just the right amount of funny, but also shows a well deserved gravity for the topic at hand. He is more than ably assisted by Thomas Lennon, Rodrigo Santoro, Joe Manganellio and the very funny Rob Huebel. Hollywood veteran Dennis Quaid is really good in an intense yet intimate, father/son struggle with the talented Ben Falcone, as "Gary". The only slight downer came from Chase Crawford, whose role as "Marco" was convincing, but I wish he would have decided whether his character needed an American, Latin or French accent, but at least that added a bit to the laugh factor
The film is a fine example of how a director can bring a very serious topic to the table, but lighten the tone and produce an incredibly touching and thought provoking piece which will have you leaving the audience with a far different perspective on pregnancy. I would highly recommend this film.
7/10
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