7/10
If you thought surrogate motherhood
no laughing matter, then you’d be wrong as this warm amusing
if lightweight comedy Baby Mama will quickly prove. Right
from the opening shots you start to smile, with a combination
of glib dialogue and fine performances the show rolls along to
a satisfying conclusion.
Baby Mama trailer
Kate Holbrook (Tina Fey) is a most successful
37 year old career woman who’s told by her fertility specialist
(John Hodgman - a familiar face from the Apple computer commercials)
she’d have more chance of winning the lottery than bearing
children. With the clock ticking and a sudden interest in babies
and having one awakening, she finally goes to a slightly shady
operation run by Chaffee Bicknell (Sigourney Weaver) and ends
up hiring surrogate mother Angie Ostrowiski (Amy Poehler). Angie
unfortunately turns out to be from the wrong side of the tracks,
if not under the tracks, living with down-and-out slob Carl (Dax
Shephard) in a dustbin apartment.
After parting from the her hopeless mate, Angie
arrives at Kate’s lavish pad and proceeds inadvertently
to wreck it; using the sink in a seriously unhygienic manner and
sticking chewing gum in wrong places, being among the uncomfortable
moments of settling in. As Angie’s pregnancy (or is it?)
continues, conflicts and confusion reign supreme between these
two wildly mismatched women, bringing a good share of laughs as
the situation develops.
What really makes the film work is the compelling
performances and chemistry of its two female leads who play so
effectively off each other - Tina Fey (Mean Girls) as
the impeccably dressed executive whose legs are made for looking,
and Amy Poehler (Blades of Glory) the wacky blonde with
expressive blue eyes bearing some resemblance to a young Beverly
D’Angelo. Perhaps a benefit for the gang from Saturday Night
Live, since Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are in that show, while it’s
penned by Michael McCullers writer for SNL also now helming Baby
Mama.
The
script’s full of snappy one liners, with cameo parts for
such talented actors as Romany Malco (The Love Guru)
who plays Kate’s doorman Oscar and steals some very funny
scenes with street slick dialogue. Romantic interest is Greg Kinnear
(Feast of Love) as the owner of a fruit juice bar giving
a pleasantly affectionate performance, while Steve Martin (The
Pink Panther) is just great as the hippy ‘out there’
CEO who rewards his employees by staring in their eyes for five
minutes. Showing her mettle in comic roles Sigourney Weaver (Vantage
Point) simply sails through her part as the cool aloof manager
of the upmarket yet perhaps suspect surrogate agency.
Direction by Michael McCullers is cheerfully confident, ensuring
the film never becomes dull. The timing of the scenes is on the
button. This is McCullers’ first time in the director’s
chair for a feature film. He acquits himself well in the comedy
mode. Music throughout is upbeat and perfectly in harmony with
the action; while the editing and camerawork are smooth and professional.
Being generous I’m awarding this film 7/10
because it bucks the normal chick flick trend by offering a higher
level of entertainment than usual for the genre. It’s warm
and fuzzy to a degree yet it lacks the blatant sentimentality
and mindlessness that often drag such romantic comedies off their
perch.
The
script’s full of snappy one liners, with cameo parts for
such talented actors as Romany Malco (The Love Guru)
who plays Kate’s doorman Oscar and steals some very funny
scenes with street slick dialogue. Romantic interest is Greg Kinnear
(Feast of Love) as the owner of a fruit juice bar giving
a pleasantly affectionate performance, while Steve Martin (The
Pink Panther) is just great as the hippy ‘out there’
CEO who rewards his employees by staring in their eyes for five
minutes. Showing her mettle in comic roles Sigourney Weaver (Vantage
Point) simply sails through her part as the cool aloof manager
of the upmarket yet perhaps suspect surrogate agency.