Director: Greg BerlantiCast: Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel, Josh Lucas, Christina Hendricks
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Comment: "Everything as we know it, nothing less and nothing more..."
It is a safe bet that nobody is going into the screening hall expecting Life as We Know It to tell a comedy-romance story any differently. Sure, it is a promise that the movie provides plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments, but it doesn't bring anything new to the table either.
The movie begins with the two main characters, Holly and Messer meeting up for a blind date, but it was apparent from the first few seconds that they do not get along very well. Even though they hate each other, they cannot help but to be in the same room every now and then since their best friends marry each other. The story really picks up when tragedy strikes; Holly and Messer now find themselves in the care of their best friends' one-year-old baby daughter.
On the bright side, as formulaic as it all gets, the film deserves credit for trying not to be your run-of-the-mill comedy-romance as made popular by the likes of Matthew McConaughey and Katherine Heigl herself. It may have resulted in the movie being dragged out a tad longer than necessary, but I for one appreciate surprises, so I would consider this as a strength.
The plot may be a bit bland, but it definitely makes up for it in the casting department. Katherine Heigl was just doing her typical career woman character, but what really brought colour to the movie is its male lead, Josh Duhamel. It's not about his looks, really. He simply captured the laid-back attitude so well. Kind of like a surfer dude without the board and the waves. The kind of persona women simply love, and men try haplessly to embody.
With all that being said, I am in no way trying to drive you away from watching the movie. As long as you don't expect anything groundbreaking or memorable, Life as We Know It provides a leisurely entertainment for casual movie-goers who just want to pass the time with your loved ones.
Points Calculation
The Good [+100]
- Chemistry between lead actors
- The baby is just too cute
- Occasional pleasant surprises
The Bad [-50]
- Formulaic plot
- Does not stand out in any way
100 - 50 = 50 points
The movie begins with the two main characters, Holly and Messer meeting up for a blind date, but it was apparent from the first few seconds that they do not get along very well. Even though they hate each other, they cannot help but to be in the same room every now and then since their best friends marry each other. The story really picks up when tragedy strikes; Holly and Messer now find themselves in the care of their best friends' one-year-old baby daughter.The result? I could name five movies on top of my head with similar themes and the same fish-out-of-water element that could top this movie hands down. But there are certain things about the movie that grants it more than the usual cheap laughs. The movie balances well between subtle jokes about marriage and parenthood, as well as physical comedy. In fact, there is one scene that is reminisce of the Farrelly brothers type of humour (Kingpin [1996], There's Something About Mary [1998], Me, Myself & Irene [2000], Shallow Hal [2001]). However, bear in mind that I am drawing that comparison very, very loosely.
On the bright side, as formulaic as it all gets, the film deserves credit for trying not to be your run-of-the-mill comedy-romance as made popular by the likes of Matthew McConaughey and Katherine Heigl herself. It may have resulted in the movie being dragged out a tad longer than necessary, but I for one appreciate surprises, so I would consider this as a strength.
The plot may be a bit bland, but it definitely makes up for it in the casting department. Katherine Heigl was just doing her typical career woman character, but what really brought colour to the movie is its male lead, Josh Duhamel. It's not about his looks, really. He simply captured the laid-back attitude so well. Kind of like a surfer dude without the board and the waves. The kind of persona women simply love, and men try haplessly to embody.With all that being said, I am in no way trying to drive you away from watching the movie. As long as you don't expect anything groundbreaking or memorable, Life as We Know It provides a leisurely entertainment for casual movie-goers who just want to pass the time with your loved ones.
Points Calculation
The Good [+100]
- Chemistry between lead actors
- The baby is just too cute
- Occasional pleasant surprises
The Bad [-50]
- Formulaic plot
- Does not stand out in any way
100 - 50 = 50 points
