Friends With Kids

Friends with Kids is the latest film from Jennifer Westfeldt, the writer and star of 2001's "Kissing Jessica Stein". Westfeldt stars in the film as Julie, a single woman living in the same building in New York as her best friend ("Party Down" and "Parks and Recreation"'s Adam Scott). The two seem to be the only single people in their group of friends, one the new parents (Chris O'Dowd and Maya Rudolph) and the newlyweds (Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig). The two decide to follow suit and try to grow-up by having a child together, and awkwardness ensues. The film becomes less about the goofiness of having a child, like "Knocked-Up", but it actually ends up being a dark comedy about the trials and tribulations of relationships and parenthood. Scott an Westfeldt have great onscreen chemistry and they really nail the friend-zone vibe that Westfeldt gets across brilliantly in the screenplay. The people that I assumed would be the comedy heavyweights in the film were Wiig and Hamm, actually have the most dramatic parts in the film, as two people who's marriage is completely falling apart. The performances are great and the screenplay is fantastic the friend-zone feeling that I know way to well. However, the ending is very cliche and Westfeldt's director skills could really use some serious work. Overall, it is an interesting film that kept my attention.
My Grade: B+
-Brendan