What to Expect When You're Expecting

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from “What to Expect When You're Expecting” even though my wife and I are expecting. What to Expect When You're Expecting

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from “What to Expect When You're Expecting” even though my wife and I are expecting. I knew it had a solid cast and director Kirk Jones (Nanny McPhee) delivers stand out product; so there was very little to fear. But comedies today have the tendency to take a turn toward crudeness and my hope was this would rely on the subject matter and not some sophomoric cop-out for humor.

The story follows five couples in varying stages of expecting a child. They are facing all sorts of obstacles from cold-feet-fathers to annoying body changes to scary complications. I think the elephant in the room is the fact that there really is no way to know what to expect. Every pregnancy is a little differnet and the film does a good job of carving out the moments that make for good humor; even if the person going through them isn’t laughing.

Woven throughout the film though is the reminder that babies are really a beautiful miracle. This sentiment comes mainly from the dads in the film. When Alex (Rodrigo Santoro) begins to worry about pending fatherhood his wife Holly (Jennifer Lopez) send him to hang out with the “dudes”; a group of fathers who spend their time in the park with their babies. The ring leader is Vic (Chris Rock) who is always quick to say that kids will change your life for the better, regardless how much of a pain in the butt they are.

This is certainly a pro baby movie. There is never a moment when you feel the characters second guess their move into child rearing. What you do get is seeing them struggle through all the negatives that are part of the game. And that is where the humor shines. There are many funny scenarios including a guy (Ben Falcone)whose wife (Elizabeth Banks) is pregnant at the same time his father’s (Dennis Quaid) new 20 something bride (Brooklyn Decker) is expecting as well. Having the couples be from all stages of life makes this a broader comedy that is relatable to many, pregnant or not.

What to Expect When You're Expecting is rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, thematic elements and language. It certainly isn’t for teens mainly because it deals with “old people” stuff. It certainly isn’t on the sexual crude end as many films out now. Certainly a good GNO event or for that couple expecting for the first time. There is little that you would feel uncomfortable watching with your mate so it is a high ranking date night film too. I give it a solid 3.75 out of 5 baby wipes. It took the right road and the comedy paid off.

 Review copyright 2012 Mungleshow Productions. Used by Permission.