Les revers de l'amour

Two struggling young artists in Los Angeles.

He's an actor, mostly in commercials; she's a painter, tending bar by night. They meet cute; fall in love; move in together; fall out of love and try to figure out what went wrong.

That's the setup for writer/director Brian Klugman's romantic comedy "Baby Baby Baby."

The multitasking Klugman plays Sydney, the actor, while my fellow Toledo, Ohio, native Adrianne Palicki (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Friday Night Lights) portrays Sunny, the artist. The plot is nothing extraordinary, but both deliver engaging performances.

What is extraordinary? The totally unexpected celebrity cameos!

As Sydney attempts a transition from actor to writer, Klugman offers up three, once-scene vignettes to illustrate his thoughts – each acted out by celebrities. There is an Oscar winner, a cultural icon, an A-list leading man, an enduring beauty, a former comedian/sitcom actor; and a TV president/insurance pitchman. I have no idea how Klugman persuaded them to appear in his indie romcom, though I'm told that if you put in the time in Hollywood and aren't an asshole, you can generate a lot of goodwill.

Kelsey Grammar (Cheers, Frasier) also appears, in more than a cameo, playing a European gallery owner who gives Sunny her big break.

"Baby Baby Baby" is okay romcom with some drama. But it's the brilliantly written, brilliantly funny scenes with the celebrity cameos that put it in the "worth seeing" category.

You can tell there is something in the writing and the directing and in so many areas. But everything here looks like potential and then most of it ends up ugly. In its effort to be honest it did have at least one really great gritty truth that resonated for me personally. But for the most part it was way too based in the lives of people who lack any foundation to manage to do well. For that matter I suppose that may be the essence of the writer and director, lacking a solid foundation. I so wanted to like this more than I did. And I did watch to the bitter end.

I was lucky enough to catch this movie at the Austin Film Festival--and I can't recommend it enough. It's funny, touching, tender--with a great central story and really amazing cameos including Bradley Cooper, William Shatner and even Lane from Mad Men!

Brian Klugman--who wrote and directed the movie--plays the lead and he's both really funny and heartbreaking as writer who falls in love with Sonny, a painter played by Adrianne Palicki-- (who I've been obsessed with since Friday Night Lights). Can't say enough about their great but realistic chemistry and we follow the twists and turns of their relationship.

I also really loved how Sydney's short stories come alive and make some really great points about life and love.

Don't want to say much more or spoil anything else so I'll just say catch this one when you can-- you won't be sorry!

What an amazing film! It really has to be one of the most refreshing films I've seen in quite some time. From the actors, writing, direction, music - it was just an all around perfect equation. I really enjoyed how easy it was to watch, how it kept me entertained from beginning to end and just how much fun it was. It's one of those movies that if you're feeling down, or just need a little pick me up it's sure to make you smile. Adrienne Palicki and Stephanie Tarling were great, strong characters. I am especially pleased to see one of my favorites, Kelsey Grammar, appear in more a sprinkle, it was great to see. This movie is definitely a go-to film for me, whether for date night, girls night in or a solo divulgence. I'm a sucker for Rom-coms, but this one seriously gave me that dose of drama I needed for it not to be basic.

Sydney (Brian Klugman) is a single actor who is too much in his head. A friend urges, nearly forces, him to approach a woman in the park, and that is how me meets Sunny (Adrianne Palicki), a bartender with dreams of being a recognized artist. She is attractive, fun-loving, kind, almost perfect, so Sydney's self-doubts kick in, and he wonders if he deserves her. Will he just lose her?

Klugman--the writer, director, actor-uses internal monologues and "stories" to illustrate the concerns of daters, like how much baggage is too much. Sydney, who is reminiscent of a neurotic Woody Allen character, digs too much and overreacts to minor issues. Losing a major relationship can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, which Sydney knows, but he cannot help himself.

This film delves into relationship issues. It is a tragic-comedic exploration that reveals little new ground, but Klugman and Palicki are fun to watch, so I can recommend it to most who like rom-coms.