FRIENDS WITH KIDS might not change the world, but with tempered expectations proves a fun take on the Rom-Com formula.

Written & Directed by Kissing Jessica Stein‘s star and writer Jennifer Westfeldt, 2011′s Friends With Kids promised more than just an amazing ensemble, but also an infusion of intelligence into a stagnant genre. The story of Jason and Jule (short for Julie), played by Party Down‘s Adam Scott and director Jennifer Westfeldt (perhaps better known as Jon Hamm‘s real-life adorable long-term girlfriend – check out their Gap sweater ad), decide that they want to have a child together while retaining their platonic friendship. This way they can meet the future person of their dreams and not ruin the relationship with all the apparent anger and stress that comes with child-rearing, as demonstrated by their miserable married friends who have kids (brilliantly played by Chris O’Dowd, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig and Jon Hamm). When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I wondered if I’d be watching a think-piece about unconventional parenting situations. If you go into the film expecting such a thing, you’ll leave disappointed or annoyed – like I did – until I decided to watch it again, this time knowing what to expect, which resulted in an altogether different experience. Friends With Kids‘ goal is to be more than a by-the-numbers romantic comedy, and in the end it succeeds in being just that. Think of it as The Back-Up Plan (2010) but for people who shop at Anthropologie. It has plenty of charm and aesthetic appeal, a tremendous cast of likeable performers, and the script is actually pretty darn good. A good rental for Ladies night!

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