It's Complicated

First Hit: Although funny, even laugh out loud funny at times, it could have been stronger about its subject matter.

It’s Complicated isn’t complicated at all. The premise could be complicated but as it is presented in this film it becomes a rather simple story attempting to be complicated.

The story: Ten years after their divorce Jane and Jake (played by Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin respectively) rekindle their love and romance for each other after spending an evening drinking and eating in a New York Hotel bar.

Complication 1) they hide this event from their three children. Complication 2) they hide if from Jake’s new wife Agness (played by Lake Bell). Complication 3) Jane meets and becomes attracted to Adam (played by Steve Martin) who is her architect, a very straight up sensitive guy, and looking for a solid partner.

What drives Jake to look back to Jane is that he is unhappy with his new wife who is bossy and also wants him to become a new father at 57 years old. What he enjoys with his liaison with Jane is their familiarity and history. He also sees her as accomplished in business and interestingly sexy.

This new vision drives him to want to have afternoon quickies and steamy meetings. Yes, this could have been a complicated story if the script called on all the participants to be strong players, but this didn’t happen. What did happen were scenes which created situational laughs which were effectively done but lacked depth.

Some of these scenes were the hotel scenes where the future son-in-law sees them kiss, Jane’s woman’s group meetings, and when Adam and Jane and high on pot at a party given by her daughter.

There is a palpable chemistry between Baldwin and Streep. This makes the film work. The idyllic family, Streep and Baldwin’s three children, was a stretch. They just seemed too perfect and not realistic in their relationships with each other and their parents. I didn’t pick up much chemistry between Streep and Martin, but it wasn’t the main part of the film.

Overall: I laughed often and appreciated this aspect of the film but it isn’t a complicated film nor is the depiction of their relationship.

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