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| Elizabeth Banks and Ben Falcone in "What to Expect When You're Expecting." Lionsgate |
The new ensemble film, “What to Expect When You areExpecting” appears to be a “chick flick” and the commercials for the product
make it look pretty silly. However, this is a pretty good movie for couples,
with or without children. Although it carries the same name, the movie has
nothing to do with the popular self-help book with the same name. It is an ensemble
comedy with some surprisingly touching moments throughout.
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| Jennifer Lopez and Rodrigo Santoro |
The movie weaves five stories about five expectant couples
with various backgrounds. See if you can keep this straight: Evan (Matthew
Morrison) is a dancer for the popular TV show, Celebrity Dance Factor. His partner on the latest season is Jules
(Cameron Diaz), a TV weight-loss coach from the TV show, “Lose It and Weep.”
They win, but Jules is taking home more than just a dancing trophy. Gary (Ben
Falcone) is a former contestant on “Lose It and Weep.” He is married to Wendy
(Elizabeth Banks), a successful author and business woman who knows everything
there is to know about having a baby, but has never had one. Gary has a rivalry
with his father, Ramsey (Dennis Quaid) a rich and successful race car driver.
With them, everything is a competition. Ramsey’s much younger trophy wife,
Skyler (Brooklyn Decker), is also pregnant. Skyler has a cousin, Rosie (Anna
Kendrick), who owns a food truck. Her former high school boyfriend, Marco
(Chace Crawford) is now a food truck rival. Holly (Jennifer Lopez) is
photographer for Skyler. She is married to Alex (Rodrigo Santoro) who are
nervous about adopting a child from out of the country. Holly’s co-worker
suggests that Alex join her husband’s “Dude Group” for support.
“Expecting” touches
on many topics that every couple can relate to including:
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| Brooklyn Decker and Dennis Quaid |
- What to name the child?
- Should you circumcise or not circumcise?
- Why do some women have an easier time during pregnancy than others?
- What if something bad happens during the pregnancy?
- What if your baby will grow up hating you?
- To breast feed or not to breast feed?
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| Anna Kendrick and Chace Crawford |
Ensemble movies tend to have a bad reputation for not being
very good. I think this one is an exception. Each story is well planned with some
great one-liners. While presenting some unrealistic scenarios, it actually does
so in a fairly realistic way. The characters respond to situations like you
think they would. And while it is definitely a comedy, there are a few dramatic
moments as well, bound to strike a chord with the audience. Banks is the stand
out here for her large range of comedy. Who knew she could be so funny and
relatable? Lopez also makes an impression as a woman who feels less so because
she can’t get pregnant.
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| Matthew Morrison and Cameron Diaz |
“Expecting” is also a refreshing change from so many
gross-out comedies filled with bad language and loose morals. Two stories
feature pregnancies that occur outside of marriage and are unplanned, but
abortion is never mentioned as an option and the characters talk about getting
married to do “the right thing.” Marriage, family and children are valued in
this movie.
