Review: It's Complicated

In her 2003 mega-hit, Nancy Meyers adressed the themes of sexuality in older women. it saw star Diane Keaton garner an Oscar nom and a Golden Globe. After some glitzy Christmas magic in The Holiday, we're back to the same themes this time with Meryl Streep in the role of the divorcee looking for love in the right and wrong places. This is Meryl Streep's money picture after having done Julie and Julia her prestige/awards picture. It is a testament to Streep that she can still make films like this incredibly watchable and she seems to be able to have chemistry with most of her other cast members. Streep and Baldwin make a great double act and they bounce off each other very well as their ex-partners trade barbs and eventually end up in bed together. According to the trailer Steve Martin is embroiled in a love triangle with the pair but is role is very small although it is his best role in years and it is evident that he is a lot better in more adult roles than in the family fare that he is appeared previously. So then this is a film with three accomplished mature performance and a script that has something to say about growing old and the relationships between our past loves and our future matches.

The film falls down in its smaller details - the supporting characters are all dreadful. From Baldwin and Streep's creepy and overly huggy three grown-up children to Baldwin's new younger wife and her bratty son they add very little to the film. Meanwhile as the son-in-law The Office's John Kransiski tries to do something different from his TV character but fails. There is also an element of reclaiming youth and this is seen as all three main characters smoke pot during the film and there is also far too much drinking for a 12A movie for my liking. Meryl is also meant to be a chef/baker in the film but her job seems to be peripheral and it seems Meyers believes that a job is something people have but not necessarily do on a regular basis.

I would say that It's Complicated is just worth seeing certainly if you're a fan of the two leading men who both add to the film. If you don't like Meyers films then this won't be for you but if you like switch-off-your-brain frothy romcoms then go to see this.