Friends With Kids: Loved It!

I don’t have a TV to myself often enough.

It’s always a compromise with what to watch and with whom. I like just about all movies so I’m usually the first to cave and agree to my second, third or fourth choice.

But guess what?

This morning, unable to sleep, and tip toeing downstairs so as not to stir anyone else, I found nirvana! It was all mine, the television and “On Demand”.

Maybe I planned this ahead…like yesterday. I already knew what my choice would be.

I’ve wanted to see Friends With Kids* for so very many reasons but primarily for the amazing cast. There are truly some of my favorite, funny, and smart actors in this one.

The biggest hooks for me were Jennifer Westfeldt (remember the movie Kissing Jessica Stein? LOVED IT!) and Kristen Wigg (who I have a significant girl crush on because of a lot of things but mostly her impeccable comedic timing and perfect, straight-faced delivery. I really do!). The genius is Westfeldt who wrote, directed, produced and starred here.

But then there’s the gorgeous and always naughty Jon Hamm (her real life partner), plus Maya Rudolph (always hysterical), Adam Scott (Parks and Recreations), Chris O’Dowd (Wigg’s love interest in Bridesmaids) and a smallish roll by Edward Burns (who I also love and crush on).

The idea behind the movie is “Jennifer Westfeldt and Jon Hamm, an unmarried, child-free couple for 15 years, noticed something about their friends with kids: These harried parents were becoming strangers and disappearing from their lives. A light bulb went off. Why not produce a movie on the topic?” (Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/friends-with-kids-20120308#ixzz22atpbvew)

So the story goes...Westfeldt's and Scott's characters are BFFs from college who live in Manhattan (love movies set there). They watch with amazement and some distaste as their close-knit group of friends first get married (and still hot for each other) then transition into parents with young children. YIKES!

They are bound and determined never to be like their friends, live like their friends or have their romantic (or not) relationships even remotely resemble their friends'.

But they both want a baby, so they hatch a plan. They will be platonic best friends who have a baby, splitting all responsibility down the middle, leaving each to have their own lives and romantic adventures on the side. And they are convinced it will work. How they go about getting to that point is funny.

As you can imagine, the wheels fall off some of the relationships. Those romantic and friendly both take a hit.

Rolling Stone magazine struck the nail on the head when saying this movie has “a real sting in its tail. The laughs leave scars.” That’s the uncomfortable part especially considering that many of them are comedic actors. Therefore, it was a little unexpected to me. I didn't know a ton about the movie going into it either; just a strong desire to see it.

Of course, I cried a few times but I always do. Laughed a ton, too. 

Pay attention to the behavior and words delivered by Wigg. Actually, pay to what everyone is saying. It’s really something.

Just so you know, there are a ton of F-bombs and the language is downright racy. I loved it but if you don’t then watch out or don’t rent it.

It’s hard to have your cake and eat it too (said in the movie) which we all know but still try. We can’t have everything and nothing is ever perfect.

And YES, relationships are difficult in and of themselves but especially if you throw in a few demanding toddlers and poopy diapers.

Loved this movie. LOVED the ending!

* I don’t believe I’ve ever done a movie review before but just felt it today.