Friends with Kids (Jennifer Westfeldt)

[EyesWideOpen]

FRIENDS WITH KIDS

Director: Jennifer Westfeldt

imdb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1720616/)

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc261/gothamcentral79/FriendsWithKidsPoster.jpg

[EyesWideOpen]

Mixed feelings about this one. Overall the cast was great although I think Westfeldt was definitely the weak link. I would have much preferred to see Wiig in that Role. I also had hopes that this wouldn't end exactly as you would expect an mainstream comedy to end but it does. It starts off with what I thought would be an interesting look at progressive child raising but then the film says 90% of the way through that it will only work when the child is a baby but once the child gets old enough and has questions it will be too difficult.

[Ezee E]

Don't care for that poster's checklist.

[Lucky]

Don't care for that poster's checklist.

It doesn't make sense.

I understand what it's trying to say about having love and happiness but not kids.

If I stretch I can kind of accept having kids and happiness but not love.

But how do you have kids and love but not happiness?

[Acapelli]

this was a really weak yay for me

chris o'dowd and maya rudolph's characters were the highlights for me

[Thirdmango]

I adored this movie. I felt like Adam Scott gave a fantastic performance and kept his character the entire time. Kristen Wiig did a great job of not being funny and O'dod was one of the funniest people in the movie.

[Spinal]

But how do you have kids and love but not happiness?

Quite easily. You can have love for your kids, but feel unfulfilled in other parts of your life (career, sex life, travel opportunities) because raising kids is so time-consuming.

[Watashi]

TMI Spinal.

I don't want to know about your sexual unfullfilment with Mrs. Spinal.

[Spinal]

Hypothetically. Forgot that key word.

[Lucky]

Quite easily. You can have love for your kids, but feel unfulfilled in other parts of your life (career, sex life, travel opportunities) because raising kids is so time-consuming.

I think that's cheating. You're combining two. I interpret the love as romantic love. Makes more sense with the movie's premise.

EDIT: Point taken about the time aspect though.

[Lucky]

Did Kristen Wiig have more lines or crying fits in this movie? ...up for debate

Stupid characters behaving like people half their age. It felt like Westfeldt wrote this script back in her twenties but finally got the greenlight for production twenty years later.

[DavidSeven]

I liked this until it completely undermined itself in the third act. Still appreciate the performances, well-sketched characters and the two-thirds of it that felt refreshing. I wish it could have delivered through the end. Squandered potential.

[Izzy Black]

I think that's cheating. You're combining two. I interpret the love as romantic love. Makes more sense with the movie's premise.

EDIT: Point taken about the time aspect though.

It is romantic love, but kids + romantic love ≠ happiness. I think the point is that when you throw kids into the equation it makes your romantic relationships difficult and taxing, even if you love that person.

Anyways, I liked the check box poster (happiness and love would be my poison). I also liked the film, but had reservations about the ending as did others. The best part of the film were its dinner table scenes featuring all of the couples. The writing, direction, and acting in these scenes was just splendid. Scott's monologue during the film's centerpiece dinner table scene was top notch.