First Hit: We all know the end before it begins, yet it was presented well enough to enjoy.
Katherine Heigl does have talent. And as Holly Berenson she plays a single successful small business owner who doesn’t date much and has friends who like to set her up.
Although not all her talents are on display in this film, many of them are; which include, she is funny - she has a nice sense of timing in her pointed barbs. She also does a scene as having had too much to drink which came off fairly well, she cries well - it feels real and not manufactured, she effectively displays an air of being intelligent and she is attractive.
All of these are limitedly displayed in this film, but one senses there is more to her than what is in this film. Conversely, Josh Duhamel (as Eric Messer) showed a lack of depth in both the character as well as the energy he brought to this part. I’m not sure who would have been a better co-star but I think a stronger match for Heigl would have made a stronger picture.
The basic plot is that their close friends die and leave them their child. They move into the deceased parent’s house and start raising the child they were given while also attempting to live their own lives. As they begin to realize that the parents aren’t coming back they begin to take on the challenges of making a life for themselves and the child.
The scenes of the child Sophie (played by Alexis Clagett, Brynn Clagett and Brook Clagett) are fun and realistic. I especially liked the scene when she first started to walk and she was walking/running with a diaper and tennis shoes on – perfect. They eventually break up but we all know they’ll get back together and eventually they do.
However, the way the script was written it wasn’t very strong or pointed.
Heigl is very good and very believable in her role. Duhamel wasn’t strong enough to do this role justice, it just seemed too lackadaisical. Josh Lucas as Sam the pediatrician was great and actually made the film more believable. Greg Berlanti directed the film in a mixed way in that some scenes were strong (Heigl and Duhamel being interviewed by the social worker) while others were rather weak (neighbors coming by unexpectedly).
Overall: Entertaining enough and definitely a Sunday afternoon bit of enjoyable fluff.