The Filles Take TIFF!: Friends With Kids

Photo: Lionsgate

Starring Jennifer Westfeldt, Kristen Wiig, Megan Fox, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph and Adam Scott. Directed by Jennifer Westfeldt. 100 minutes. 14A

If you get one thing out of Friends With Kids, it’s that Bridesmaids was much more than just a great ensemble cast.

You see, Jennifer Westfeldt’s directing debut (you may know her as the star of Kissing Jessica Stein), features the majority of the main cast of that surprise hit of a rom-com (Kristen Wiig, Chris O’Dowd, Maya Rudolph and of course, Westfeldt’s long-time bf, Jon Hamm). And yet, it can’t even begin to live up to it in laughs and or sincerity.

Friends With Kids is like a toddler you’re forced to babysit for your pseudo-bud from work. It’s fine at first, pretty easy-going and even entertaining, but after about an hour, the little one starts to get grating and you start to get stupid bored. You really wish you things would start looking up for you and the kid—or rather, you and this well-meaning, yet meandering movie—but in truth, you just want get home and jump back in your non blankie-infested bed.

The concept of the film is slightly original, or at least a tad different for the current chick flick climate. Instead of focusing simply on a desperate single gal with a ticking clock, Friends With Kids follows two opposite sex BFFs (Westfeldt and Parks and Recreation’s always adorable Adam Scott) who decide to have a kid together because, well, they really want one (and all their friends have already done it—and totally changed). It all gets off on a perfectly platonic foot, with Mama and Papa still happily dating other peeps post-placenta. But things get tricky (or to continue with the metaphor, trippy?) when one of them develops more than faux-familial feelings for the other.

The story may ring true for many modern families, but as a movie, it comes across weirdly false and hopelessly predictable. It’s not Westfeldt or Scott’s fault (they have a sweet, sweet chemistry) but rather, the overly glossy cinematography and juvenile jokes. Okay, so maybe it is a bit of Westfeldt’s fault. (Sorry, Mrs. Draper!)

The problem with Friends With Kids is that it’s decidedly indecisive, forever unsure what side of rom-com it stands on. Sometimes this can work (see: Bridesmaids), but only if the flick maintains the back-and-forth and never officially commits to either side. The first twenty minutes of Friends may be really funny in a frank, adult way, but the second half is purely kids stuff: corny, skittish and poop joke-filled.  C

The Filles Take TIFF: The Best and Worst of our Fest

THE BEST

• DRIVE - This romantic thriller, which was released in theatres on Friday, cruises some really cool, uncharted territory with its John Hughes-meets-Michael Mann tone. A must for 80s action thriller lovers. (Out now)
• MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE - A scary good drama about a young woman recovering from a harrowing stint in a cult. Elizabeth Olsen (MK & A's sis) is so damn riveting in the title role, making us wonder if this will be the year an Olsen takes home an Oscar. Or at least a nomination. (October 21, limited release)

THE WORST

• FRIENDS WITH KIDS (Emily) - A rom-com that tries way too hard to be different, but does more of the same. Directed by and starring Jennifer Westfeldt (star of Kissing Jessica Stein and long-time lady of Jon  Hamm), this lacklustre flick, which follows two straight best friends (Westfeldt and Adam Scott) who decide to have a baby together, starts off strong (Chris O'Dowd is hysterical as a disenchanted father) and slowly unravels. (April 2012)

WE'RE STILL WAITING TO SEE...

• LIKE CRAZY - A British student falls passionately in love with an American student only to be torn from him when she's banned from the U.S. for overstaying her visa. The film was applauded for its chemistry between lead actors and beautifully crafted story-telling. (October 28, 2011)
• STARBUCK - In this flick from Quebec, 42-year-old slacker finds out he's the father to 533 children, thanks to donating to a sperm back 20 years ago. Now, 142 of those offspring are filing lawsuits against the donor bank to find out who their father is. Critics called it hilarious and sweet, praising Patrick Huard in the lead role. (Release TBA)
• YOU'RE NEXT - This Midnight Madness indie film brings together the unexpected: the family reunion and the slasher. It was a hit with horror fans and as Torontoist describes, "Clever, violent, and funny, this film is what Midnight Madness is all about." (TBA 2012)

• TAKE SHELTER - Amid apocalyptic visions, a father (Michael Shannon) begins to feverishly construct a shelter to protect against an impending storm. The Hollywood Reporter puts it best: "A riveting genre blend of thriller, domestic drama and supernatural horror propelled by a brilliant lead performance." (September 30, 2011)
• ALPS - From the director of Dogtooth comes an even darker story. ALPS is a service that stands in for the dead. Literally. They will play the role of your dead husband, daughter or brother for a fee. Critics described this Greek film as as compelling yet unnerving, leaving you deep in thought. (October 27, 2011, Greece; Worldwide release TBA)

What did you love/hate at the fest? What did you miss? Comment below!