It's Complicated

Release Date: December 25, 2009

He's telling Meryl that he liked the Julia part of Julie & Julia but not the Julie part.

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Position Staff In Brief
22/169 Max Braden I was concerned 30 Rock Baldwin wouldn't translate well to a movie, but he does, and there are laughs, but it's uneasy to be rooting for adulterers.

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Nancy Meyers has created a small cottage industry out of making romantic comedies with wide-ranging demographic appeal. What Women Want was a surprising success back in December of 2000, debuting with $33.6 million and eventually racking up North American box office of $182.8 million. Her next film, Something's Gotta Give, had a smaller start with $16.1 million in December of 2003, but wound up with impressive domestic box office of $124.7 million. And most recently, The Holiday was a little quieter, but still came in with a worldwide gross of $205 million against an $85 million budget.

She goes closer to the formula that worked best for her in What Women Want and It's Complicated by taking some big-name stars - who appeal to a 55+ crowd, and throwing them together for wacky romance and laughter. This time around, we have Meryl Streep, who has been gaining momentum ever since she had a shining role as the villainess in The Devil Wears Prada. Since then, the Academy Award winning actress has starred in bona fide hits such as Mamma Mia! and Julie & Julia. She has a following, and putting her in a romantic comedy at Christmas-time seems like a master stroke.

Streep stars alongside Alec Baldwin, who is turning heads in 30 Rock, and Steve Martin, who's a comforting presence in this type of flick. Streep and Baldwin play a couple who have been divorced for ten years, but start an affair while out of town for their son's graduation. Things are "complicated" because Baldwin is in a relationship with a much younger woman (Lake Bell) and Streep is drawn to a divorced architect (Martin) who comes to understand that he's part of a triangle.

There's no reason to think this shouldn't at least fall in line with Something's Gotta Give's performance and it might even exceed that sort of expectation. It's Complicated may have a crappy title, but audiences are going to eat it up, because Nancy Meyers has a winning formula. (Kim Hollis/BOP)


Vital statistics for It's Complicated
Main Cast Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin
Supporting Cast John Krasinski, Lake Bell, Zoe Kazan, Mary Kay Place, Nora Dunn, Bruce Altman, Rita Wilson
Director Nancy Meyers
Screenwriter Nancy Meyers
Distributor Universal
Rating R
Talent in red has entry in The Big Picture


     


 
 

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