It's Complicated

In the best work of her career Nancy Meyers presents the funny comedy, It's Complicated starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin.

This fast-paced, smart comedy is everything in a mature work that didn't succeed with films such as Something's Gotta Give. Meyers creates three authentic characters with sympathy and everyday qualities that make them identifiable and first-class writing genius.

The film tells the story of Jane (Streep), who's ten year post-divorce from Jake (Baldwin), who left her for a much younger woman, hasn't necessarily become water under the bridge. Trying to find some type of happiness in her later years, she meets Adam (Martin), a sensitive architect, who is designing her new kitchen and has had his fair share of divorce stories in the past. But when attending their son's college graduation, Jane and Jake find that everything is as simple as it once seemed.

The cast here is one of the best ensemble works of the year. Meryl Streep is naturalistic and in top form showing her sexier side at 60. Streep shows that she can still create a character from scratch and make the woman as real as anyone walking down the streets of New York City. It's one of her funnier turns in years.

Alec Baldwin, in one of his best performances to date, shows immaturity and careless can get you far in a film. Showing top comedic work, Baldwin seems in the hunt for Oscar recognition. His charm and magnetism is quite surprising as we haven't seen him give a performance this funny ever, not even in his hit sitcom "30 Rock." Steve Martin, who I have found overdoes his comedy in some of his later years in film is in control and utterly enjoyable. Martin shows a sensitive side reminiscent of his works in Roxanne and Parenthood, and finds an audience cheer with empathetic tendencies can get you right back to what you do best. It's a return to form for Martin.

John Krasinski, who plays Harley, one of Jane's daughter's fiancée, is totally hilarious and drives away from the comedy we once found funny in his "Jim" on NBC's hit sitcom "The Office." Krasinski, in many ways upstages some of the veterans on film as he steals a lot of the spotlight. Krasinski is an outstanding talent to watch out for in the near future as he branches out into more demanding roles.

It's Complicated couldn't have succeeded without Nancy Meyers finally showing what good writing can do with the right people, time, and effort put into place. It's the work of her career and she remains a dark horse for an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Though the film will definitely appeal to an older generation, the younger can appreciate the zeal and comical dialogue shared between the players. The film does run a bit long and loses some of it's spark in the finale act, but it's pure entertainment and a must-see of the holiday season.

The name of the movie is It's Complicated but the film is everything but complicated, in fact this is the simplest and lightest movie I've seen in a very long time. It's Complicated follows the story of Jane (Streep) that during her son's graduation hooks up with her ex-husband Jake (Baldwin)and at the same time she is dating Adam, her architect. The movie has some good moments of humor but the situations tends to repeat over and over making the movie a little boring. The story is kinda predictable and the plot is a bit lame and corny but the movie is worthy because of its cast. Actors like Alec Baldwin and Steve Maritn and an actress like Meryl Streep make it a real joy. Their performances are excellent and so funny. In conclusion, It's complicated is a movie mostly intended for people over 30's and 40's. Women will love it and men will enjoy it also

Almost a ten for me. 53 year old male who prefers romantic comedy to action-adventure. This film had a wit and a appreciate of today's woman that made the film very slice of life for me. Beautiful scenes, hilarious wit and almost slapstick. This film is not for the prudish but is by no means obscene. Just great adult fare and Meryl Streep can now do anything. This year she has been Julia Child, Mamma Mia and now the Other Woman. I'd want her back too. Bravo, Nancy, Bravo.

I have never enjoyed Alec Baldwin, but he was light and funny in this film and the pairing really worked. Steve Martin's role was purposely a little flat but he did underplay things well.

John Krasinski is a true scene-stealer. Like Streep, with just a knowing glance or a facial expression, he causes laughs and audiences will just enjoy him.

Best romantic comedy since Something's Gotta Give. Baldwin is no Nicholson, but this was a better script and Streep has no match.

Nancy Meyers is famous for tapping into a largely ignored market: middle-aged women. She acknowledges that women don't cease to exist after they grow older than Jessica Alba (anyone older than that loses their sex appeal in the eyes of movie studios, and that's the only thing that keeps audiences interested in these sorts of movies).

I am not a member of this market. However, I am open to movies to which I am not a targeted member. That, and I love Meryl Streep. I have seen Nancy Meyers' previous effort, "Something's Gotta Give," a movie that started out okay, but ended up being an overlong disaster that I hated. Still, this movie sounded promising, especially with Streep, who has never made a bad movie, so I checked it out. While it is certainly better than "Something's Gotta Give," it is nowhere near a complete success.

Jane (Meryl Streep) is a divorced mother of three, and an empty nester. Years after her divorce, she's finally gotten her life back together (or at least she thinks she does). However, her life is going to get a little...complicated. Her ex, Jake (Alec Baldwin) has just realized that he is still in love with Jane, and they ensue in an affair (which, ironically, was one of the reasons why they divorced in the first place). At the same time, she's also attracted the attention of her architect, Adam (Steve Martin). Now Jane has to balance these two romances out, and complications ensue.

Meryl Streep is widely recognized as one of the greatest actresses alive (and in my opinion, one of the best who ever lived). Yet with 13 Oscar nods, she hasn't done much in the way of comedy. She got a taste of it in last year's "Mamma Mia," but with this film, she gets to do some scenes that are openly funny. And she shows everyone that she can be just as successful in a comedy as a drama. Many of the film's comic scenes wouldn't be as funny without her. Her co-stars, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, are no stranger to being funny, and Streep manages to keep up with them. Speaking of, Baldwin and Martin are on the same level as Streep. Baldwin is equally good in the comic scenes as well the dramatic scenes, and so is Martin (surprisingly...he hasn't gotten much chance to do drama. Hopefully, this performance will signal a change, because he's got some good dramatic chops as well as comic aptitude). Had this film been better directed, they could have been looking at some Oscar nods. Special mention has to go to John Krasinski, because even though he became famous for the ultra-understated humor of "The Office," he is also great at more energetic humor too. Lake Bell has little to do than be a post-trophy wife that is often referenced, but not seen.

Nancy Meyers may have tapped into the market for middle aged women, but she's only at the top because she's the only one in it. Meyers is not an especially great screenwriter or director. The dialogue is nothing special, and her direction is flat, which renders the drama more inert than it should be. The comedy only works because of the actors, not Meyers; this should be construed as a compliment to Streep, Baldwin and Martin, since the comedy is not adequately set up. Many of the plot points exist because Meyers is trying to follow the formula of "romantic comedy," even if what happens doesn't make sense.

If you like Meyers' films, it's a film to check out. If not, I don't think its worth your time.

"It's Complicated" is pretty simple, actually. Successful Californian food store owner Meryl Streep has been happily divorced from her former husband Alex Baldwin for the last ten years, but on a trip to New York to attend their son's graduation, she starts an affair with him. He happens to have re-married, to a younger woman, while she becomes involved with her architect Steve Martin. Will Meryl and Alec get back together again, or will she set off into the sunset with Steve. ​What will the children think? Do we care?

Well, not a lot. The lifestyle depicted is one in which everything is perfect, especially the cast's complexions. There are no human imperfections depicted, unless you count lust. All the characters, with the partial exception of Meryl, are stereotypes – people from Advertising land. In real life things are much more complicated.

That said, this is a superior piece of its type and it passes the watch test (I didn't look at my watch while viewing it). True, I could watch Meryl reading the phone book, and yes the dialogue was witty and the set pieces funny, and I had some guilty enjoyment from all the affluence. But really it was all too sweet, like Meryl's chocolate cake. Alex Baldwin does a passable LA lawyer while Steve Martin seems to be in the wrong movie.