Life is notoriously complicated. Whether it’s attempting to finish those pesky taxes the day before they’re due, attempting to fix that noisy, leaky faucet or shedding those final 10 kilos, even the arguably mundane parts of life might be tough. But for Jane Adler (Meryl Streep), her relatively easy existence as a Santa Barbara divorcee becomes rather a lot more — you guessed it — complicated when she begins to sleep with a married man. Things get really messy when that man seems to be her ex-husband, Jake (Alec Baldwin), who falls for her all once more.
It’s Complicated definitely lives as much as its title, but Jane’s complications are all ones we’d soak up a heartbeat. She has a gorgeous home, a stress-free job because the owner of a well-liked bakery and she or he’s courted not only by Jake but additionally by Adam (Steve Martin).
The movie’s barely disguised wish-fulfillment fantasy is just one in all the numerous reasons to look at it. You’ll must act fast, though, as It’s Complicated is scheduled to go away Amazon Prime Video at the tip of April.
The Movie’s Plot Isn’t That Complicated
Written and directed by Nancy Meyers, It’s Complicated’s story is pretty easy. After seeing the last of her three children leave for school, Jane discovers she’s a lonely empty nester. That’s probably why she tentatively agrees to having an affair with Jake, who cheated on her years ago and married his much-younger mistress, Agness (Lake Bell). It’s karmic revenge for Jane — now she’s the Other Woman. “I believe I’m slightly little bit of a slut,” she laughs to her friends.
Things get complicated (there’s that word again!) when a flirtation with Adam, a kindhearted architect, becomes something more serious and Jane must choose from reliving her past with Jake or forging a future with Adam. Unlike one in all Streep’s earlier movies, Jane’s dilemma isn’t really a Sophie’s Alternative — wouldn’t you wish to be caught in a love triangle like this one?
A Love Triangle You Can’t Help But Love
Meyers has at all times specialized in creating roles for actors of a certain age, and she or he gives three meaty parts to 3 actors who bring their A-game here. Streep shows a softer, more vulnerable side on this movie, conveying Jane’s not-so-secret desire to let her hair down and have some fun. It’s a loose, surprisingly sexy performance from the veteran actress, and her joy at playing Jane is infectious.
The main target isn’t on Baldwin and Martin as much, but when it’s, they match Streep’s laid-back vibe. Baldwin lampoons his matinee idol image and isn’t afraid to strip down and rub his potbelly to get an inexpensive laugh. Martin’s Adam is more uptight than his romantic rival, but even he loosens as much as Jane’s charms — his pot-smoking scene together with his recent girlfriend is one in all the film’s highlights.
The Kids (And Friends) Are Alright
The film’s supporting solid primarily consists of Grace and Jake’s grown children and Grace’s girlfriend group. Within the latter, Rita Wilson, Mary Kay Place and Alexandra Wentworth benefit from their limited screen time as three friends who lend their supportive shoulders and witty observations to Jane. They function as a comical Greek chorus commenting on Jane’s actions, except with more white wine and beige clothing.
Amongst Jane’s children, Lauren (Caitlin FitzGerald) and her fiancé Harley (John Krasinski) get probably the most screen time, so it’s no surprise that they’re probably the most memorable of the Adler clan. Krasinski, particularly, has a pleasant comedic sequence when he discovers Jane and Jake sneaking right into a hotel to proceed their affair, which he has to cover from an unsuspecting Lauren. When he sees the paramedics rushing into their room, his panic mounts, and his desperate attempts to get Lauren out of the hotel are a number of the film’s funniest sight gags.
A Picture Perfect World
While It’s Complicated deals with the messy themes of divorce, adultery and even drug use, it’s set in a brightly lit Southern California utopia that only Meyers could conjure. The director is known for creating escapist fantasies populated with large, expensive homes with impressive kitchens, and It’s Complicated doesn’t draw back from showing a world that’s just slightly too perfect to truly exist.
That’s OK, though, since it’s what you expect from a movie like this one. It’s Complicated invites you to forget your on a regular basis problems and laugh on the ridiculous things wealthy people do once they fall in love (and lust). Realism has no place in a movie like this, and there’s nothing fallacious with that.
Gone Too Soon?
It’s Complicated is leaving Amazon Prime Video on April 30. While it can probably show up on another streamer, why wait and deprive yourself of a fun comedy that showcases three great actors having the time of their lives? The movie is ideal to look at because the spring season is in full bloom, and it might just encourage you to start your personal “complicated” love story.
It’s Complicated is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
