Movies

Movie Review: “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”

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Inspired by the New York Times best selling book, “What to expect when you’re expecting”  has sold over 32 million copies worldwide. This new star-studded movie has a cast full of comedians, teenage heart throbs, and seasoned rom-com actors.

Having a baby on the way is the biggest news two people can receive in their lives and What to Expect When You’re Expecting looks at that news and the entire nine month journey from every angle.  The screen adaptation introduces five couples with entangled lives who all get the exciting (and in some cases very surprising) news that a baby is on the way.

Jules (Cameron Diaz) and Evan (Matthew Morrison) are two celebrities that star in different reality shows, and meet when Jules is chosen as a contestant on a dance competition show where her professional dance counterpart is Evan.  The two have a secrete romance that is forced out into the open when Jules becomes pregnant.  The two have to deal with the pregnancy, while simultaneously dealing with their celebrity lifestyles, all the while handling their over publicized and criticized decisions they make about their relationship and baby.

Rosie (Anna Kendrick) and Marco (Chace Crawford) are competing food truck owners that have a sarcastic, back-and-forth chemistry that is the least believable of the group; however, the two provide some of the more heartbreaking moments of the overall light-hearted movie. Their relationship deals with struggles entirely unique to their own situation of being so young and getting pregnant before there is even a first date.

Wendy (Elizabeth Banks) and Gary (Ben Falcone) are a couple that have been trying for months to make a baby and are now forced to compete with Gary’s alpha-male father (Dennis Quaid)who is married to his much younger trophy wife (Brooklyn Decker)and expecting twins.  All the while Wendy is trying to maintain her status as baby and pregnancy expert and author.

Last but not least is Holly (Jennifer Lopez) and Alex (Rodrigo Santoro). The two are showing a different side to parenthood with their decision to adopt.  Holly is over the top excited to be a mom, but Alex is less then sold on the idea of fatherhood and when the adoption goes through sooner than expected, Holly sends him to a men’s support group that will prepare him for being a father.

The support group called “The Dudes” only have two rules- “no judging” and “don’t talk about what we walk about.”  They provide plenty of comedic relief and have jokes that parents and non-parents can laugh about.

The movie overall is possibly one of the best that exhibits so many stars.  In a time where movies are jam-packed with as many big names as possible What to Expect When You’re Expecting  balances the big names with story lines that are delicately intertwined and sometimes hilarious and sometimes extremely heartfelt and honest.  It brings all the joy and nerves of starting a family to the audience in a way that provides surprises, laughs, and tears.

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