It's Complicated (2009)

First and foremost, I must say that I find it weirdly amusing that I am posting a review for a divorce-comedy on my third wedding anniversary. That might actually be a pretty good preface to this film, actually. Funny as it is in some places, It’s Complicated is a film made for a specific audience in mind. I am not part of that audience, which probably explains why I didn’t enjoy this film as much as some may.

After being divorced for ten years, Jane (Meryl Streep) and Jake (Alec Baldwin) are brought together by their son’s college graduation. Old flames are rekindled, even though Jake is now married to a much younger woman, and an affair is born. Jake loves it and pursues spur-of-the-moment flings with Jane whenever possible but Jane knows inside that, even though they loved each other at one time, their current actions just aren’t right.

Amidst the affair, Jane is also falling for Adam (Steve Martin), an architect hired to remodel her home. Despite recently getting divorced, Adam opens himself up to Jane and mutual attraction develops. Jake and Jane try their best to keep their affair a secret but fail to do so in amusing ways. The fallout is unexpected and forces the two to grow up and think about their actions like rational, mature adults.

When the stars of a comedy are Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin, you know the film is geared towards an older audience. Add to this the film’s subject matter, divorce, and you’ve all but completely alienated me from any target demographic. Fortunately, comedy has no boundaries and good comedy can be appreciated by anyone, no matter how disconnected they may be from the material and characters.

There are plenty of laughs to be had with It’s Complicated but I can’t help but feel that the film is funnier and more meaningful for those who have experienced a divorce. Most, if not all, of the subtleties that divorcees will pick up on may be lost on the rest of us. This explains why the film seemed too stop-and-go for my liking. Divorce isn’t a funny subject, so the film does a lot of bouncing back and forth between the hilarious antics of the unfaithful Jake and the concern and contemplation of Jane.

For some, myself included, Jack’s behavior is a little over-the-top. It’s clear that Alec Baldwin is having a blast with his character but his mid-life crisis-driven shenanigans fail to be age-appropriate at times. No matter how passionate they may be, most 50-somethings don’t throw themselves around like he does. Then again, we are in movie land here and comedy wouldn’t be comedy if there weren’t at least a few outrageous moments that aren’t likely to happen in real life.

The supporting players of It’s Complicated are adequate but forgettable. Steve Martin plays a straight-laced character for a change. This is refreshing because, let’s face it, he’s no spring chicken and most of his films in the past decade have proven that audiences aren’t buying any more of his physical shtick. For the younger crowd, The Office’s John Krasinski is thrown in as Jake and Jane’s son-in-law. He has a witty sense of humor and is also the first to discover his in-laws’ canoodling.

Aside from these two, the film is devoid of any other widely known stars. This is good, because it leaves plenty of screen time and space for its leads. It could be bad though, if you aren’t a big fan of Baldwin or Streep. The lack of multiple stars also helps feed the duo the lion’s share of the best lines and scenes. The filmmakers are just banking on moviegoers’ familiarity of divorce and the appeal of Baldwin and Streep. It’s a gamble that pays off pretty well, because even if you don’t care for Alec Baldwin, just about everyone admires Meryl Streep on some level.

On the whole, It’s Complicated is par for the course. It makes you laugh, it makes you squirm, and it has plenty of those awe-shucks family moments. It tries a little too hard sometimes to be funny but it never really tries to break away from predictable, formulaic humor. It might be worth a look but it will depend entirely on your taste in comedy and actors.

RATING: 3 out of 5