It's Complicated, starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, gave me hope for when I'm 55.
That's to say, hope that life still holds fun, excitement and spontaneity at that age. However, I would hope to never experience the train wreck that ensues between Streep and Baldwin, but it was hilarious to watch.
Streep plays Jane, a devoted mother of three who is now an empty nester since her youngest moved to college. She finds herself rather lonely without her children, or a husband - she and her ex-husband Jake (Baldwin) divorced 10 years ago when he left her for a much younger woman.
The complications begin when Jane and Jake spend the night at the same hotel for their son's college graduation. Left alone together at the hotel bar, they rekindle past feelings for one another over four bottles of wine. The dancing and flirting move into the bedroom, and the rest is history.
When Jane sobers up, she realizes the horrible mistake, but Jake is convinced their affair is the best thing that's ever happened to him.
Although I was unsure at first if the affair was a good thing or a bad thing, after a few more scenes I was wholeheartedly against Jane's hookups with the undeserving Jake, and most of the other viewers seemed to hold my viewpoint.
Some theatergoers had a difficult time holding back their feelings. One upset guy a few rows down from me begged Jane, Don't do it
please!
Adding to the humor, it will amuse Office-lovers that Jim (John Krasinski) plays the fiancé of the eldest daughter and the only one who knows about the affair. From trying to keep the affair a secret from his fiancé to freaking out over a situation that becomes increasingly more and more outrageous, he has his hands full.
A new romance in Jane's life makes everything a little more interesting, and she kept us guessing (and seriously stressing) over which man she would choose.
Would it be Steve Martin's character Adam, the sweet gentleman who makes her laugh, or would it be Jake, the charming-yet-self-absorbed teenager who looks like a man, but never grew up?
Believe me, it's worth it to find out. This movie is great entertainment with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. It's a must-see, if you haven't already. 3
Culture
Merete Kenworthy
