REVIEW: Film brings life experiences close to home
Truth be told, I liked this movie. I could relate through my tears and constant laughs. “Life as We Know It” was real.
The best-friends of a happily married couple loathe each other. The bride’s best friend, Holly, played by Katherine Heigl, is a strong independent woman, control freak and owner of a small-town bakery. The best man is Eric, also known as Messer, played by “When in Rome’s” Josh Duhamel.
Messer is an extremely attractive ladies-man and sports TV director. In efforts to “set-up” the wife’s BFF with the husband’s childhood friend, Holly and Messer meet, fully equipped with terrible first impressions. In fact, ever since the “blind-date incident of ’07,” it was hate at first-sight. When in the presence of the other, annoyance was inevitable.
Holly and Messer are forced to live together when an unlikely car accident takes the lives of their best friends, leaving behind the newlywed couple’s one child, Sophie. Without discussing it with them, the couple wrote in their will that Messer and Holly would be Sophie’s godparents, suggesting some kind of secret plan for a desired relationship between the enemies.
Due to their devotion to their deceased friends and the love of the same child, complete opposites were brought together.
Heigl surprised me by proving that she can portray several emotions, especially those that can be hard, like a death of friend. When tragedy struck, I believed her heart was broken and she was left vulnerable. Unfortunately, I feel like she is still playing herself.
Playful banter is within the norm of Heigl’s recent roles such as “27 Dresses” and “The Killers.” A lot of her roles are the control-freak type. She has yet to show me a role that is really outlandish or unique. However, she depicted her given character sensibly; a job well-done.
Though good-looking, the leading male isn’t memorable. If nothing else, I learned that looks are definitely not everything. I am not saying he is a bad actor, just that there is room for improvement. However, I was pleasantly surprised at his character’s moment of nostalgia, he was charming enough within his given role that he won me over.
The on-screen chemistry between the two worked. The ways they presented their hatred for each other was more like a brother and sister relationship; never getting along but always learning to live with each other. It reminded me of a lot like how my brother and I used to bicker all the time but in the end, we still love each other.
This theme seems to be recurring, a man and a woman who despise each other eventually fall in love, like in “Leap Year” and “The Proposal”, but it somehow doesn’t ruin the film for me. Most of the time I thought it was a story about real life told through just one perspective. The end gave me a sense of nostalgia.
The sequence of ill-timed events creates an unlikely family. The baby girl, Sophie, doesn’t have much control over her actions, but was a perfect little specimen for this project. This support system was more than quaint.
I can see how this would be considered just another predictable flick but I can also see how it’s so much more than that. I am sure the director, Greg Berlanti, had more in mind than a predictably fun chick-flick. Just look at what he is known for: “Everwood,” “Brothers and Sisters” and “No Ordinary Family.” His past works are all family friendly with a larger meaning than just fun.
Like Forest Gump’s mother always said “life is like box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” That is life, unexpected and impossible to really plan. “Life as We Know It” successfully tells this story. Sacrifices are made and challenges met.
The movie possessed a sort of charm with a perfect balance between humor and drama. Consistently throughout the film a smile did not leave my face, from baby feces on the cheek of the adoptive mother to cab-driver-babysitters. Captured in this short feature are the simple things in life: a child’s first steps and words and the creation of unexpected love.
From personal experience I know how life can throw some curve balls. So maybe this rom-com spoke to me personally.
All in all, a more than decent film.
– anike.pullens@aggiemail.usu.edu