It's Complicated

Writer/director Nancy Myers is fill the void left in the market for films aimed at older audiences, especially women. She has had a few successful romantic comedies that prove you can be any age to fall in love.

I do not think that Nancy Meyers is a particularly great writer or director. Her films are very pleasant and enjoyable but not in a very enthusiastic way. The only one of her films that I really liked was 'Somethings Gotta Give'. I have a personal rule regarding romantic comedies that they should go for around 90 - 100 minutes. I will agree that sometimes there can be exceptions to that rule, but Nancy does not meet that exception. I usually find her films get boring sometimes and the story can loose its way in certain areas. That didn't really happen that much here but the film still felt a little too long. I think she could have been more ruthless with the editing. Her films have a very simple premise and can be told in a simple way. I do not mind these films. I got a few funny moments from this one, but as a whole I do not find them terribly great.

In some ways I think Nancy Meyers is a lazy writer. Would this film have been as popular as it has been if she did not get this cast? If you recast the film with relatively unknown actors, would it have been as successful? I don't really think so. Meryl Streep is a brilliant actress and so I think elevates the mediocre material somewhat. This is not her greatest role, but I think she does an excellent job with the material she is given. Alec Baldwin is so brilliant in the TV series '30 Rock'. He is good here but again I think the ordinary script lets him down. The best thing about this film for me is Steve Martin. He has been in so many bad family films lately that I think he is loosing most of his credibility. I liked him here because he is in a more adult film and is not playing a wacky character. I think this is a role that's a close to being the real Steve Martin as you can get.

A pleasant romantic comedy that will appeal more to mature age people than younger ones. There are a few laughs but not as wonderful as you might hope.