It's Complicated (2009)

Why I saw it: I was initially opposed to this one and didn't expect to like it, but sometimes it's good for one friend to do something nice for another friend - especially if said friend agrees to bungee jump in exchange for you seeing the movie.

The verdict: 7 out of 10/B+

If anything is certain these days, it’s that a film written and directed by Nancy Meyers will feature the romantic woes of rich, middle-aged, white people living in suburbian utopias. I'm oversimplifying a little, but that essential concept has been a winner for Meyers since she made What Women Want, (2000), the film starring Mel Gibson as a wealthy playboy who, through an unfortunate hair dryer accident, gained the ability to hear women’s thoughts. She followed up that success with her first writing/directing effort, Something’s Gotta Give, (2003), and then another, The Holiday, (2006), and now, right on the three-year mark, she gives us It’s Complicated. Meyers’ latest, still fitting the mold of her prior films, offers a charming romantic-comedy that boasts humor, sincerity, and a hint of depth.

Divorced for nearly a decade, Jane (Meryl Streep), maintains an awkward relationship with Jake (Alec Baldwin) for the sake of their children. Jake has married the much younger woman who caused their divorce and Jane has accepted loneliness, especially since she just sent her youngest off to college. A series of events find both former spouses stood up in a bar one night; laughs are had, drinks are downed, and cautions heaved to the wind. The night brings back feelings of better times and the two begin a careless affair, wondering if it is possible to revive their past relationship. In the midst of her involvement with Jake, Jane also begins to fall for Adam (Steve Martin), a shy architect working on the additions to her house; and the woman once without prospects becomes the one with options.

Meyers’ pleasant script is sold by excellent performances from the leads. Martin and Baldwin play distinctly different characters that you want to see succeed, even though you know one won’t. Both men have good intentions with Jane, both have their pitfalls, and both have different approaches to handling relationships. Martin and Baldwin have strong chemistry with Streep who, as usual, lures the audience in with her natural screen presence. Streep finds a nice balance of frustration and confidence that allows her to transition as Jane begins to realize the situation she is in is - well - complicated. The supporting characters round out the story just fine, with Harley (John Krasinski), Jake and Jane’s son-in-law who accidentally learns of their secretive affair, standing out. Krasinksi manages to be downright hilarious while keeping his performance under control and at times cleverly subtle.

It’s Complicated contains enough situational humor and laugh-out-loud dialogue to keep the audience interested, but it’s the realism within the script that propels the film forward. Meyers doesn’t pretend that her characters aren’t being a little reckless, and that consequences don’t apply. Amid the humor, her characters encounter moments of excitement, rejection, disappointment, truth, and honesty. The film’s ability to maintain a comedic punch, while still grounding itself in reality, makes it all the more enjoyable.

It’s Complicated surely won't be the last time we see what I am going to call the "Meyers Formula." If trends can be followed, expect her next romantic foray into the WASP-y upper-class by 2012. What's the old saying? "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Meyers' films don't escape cliche, but they provide the humor, charm, appeal, and realism that you just don't find in too many "romance"-based films.