It's Complicated

Here’s my problem with this flick (and most chick flicks in general): they’re made for one, very specific type of consumer. Think about it, ladies: when the guys dragged you to Avatar, you enjoyed yourself. Sure the fellas probably liked it more, but that film was in no way a dreadful experience. Now switch it around. When you take us to garbage like It’s Complicated, there is virtually nothing in it for us.

Is it really that complicated? Meryl Streep - divorced, successful, three grown kids - hooks up with ex husband Alec Baldwin - successful, hot wife, annoying step kid- at their son’s graduation party. She feels weirded out, he feels like it’s a new start. Then, randomly, for no reason whatsoever except to add “star power” to the film, we get thrown a new love interest, Streep’s reserved, considerate architect, Steve Martin.

How complicated is that? It’s a simple love triangle. Which will she choose? She sleeps with her ex again, OH NO! She has feelings for her architect today, OH NO! This movie thinks it’s clever. We’ve all seen the twentysomething love triangle before, so here director Nancy Meyers thought, “Hey, why not make ‘em old, we’ll hit a whole new demographic." YAY!

Meryl Streep is always good. I thought Julie and Julia was a complete waste of time, but she’s good in it. And she is here too, I guess. Don’t expect the Jack Donaghy-esque humor that Baldwin so excellently brings to 30 Rock in this film. I think it’s best summed up like this: every major player in this movie seems bored. Like they are just coxing along, getting a paycheck. I’m sure the film’s five-month shooting schedule didn’t help (most films shoot for a month), but It’s Complicated ain’t it all complicated, it’s just lame. D

PS: why is this film rated R? The MPAA says for “some drug content and sexuality”. So two 60-year-olds smoking one joint and seeing a body double of Alec Baldwin’s ass earns an R rating? You saw Diane Keaton naked in Something’s Gotta Give, and that was PG-13. That, my friends, is complicated.