Movie Review: Life as We Know It

Life as We Know It – A Warner Bros. Release

http://lifeasweknowitmovie.warnerbros.com/

Release Date: October 8th, 2010

Rated PG for sexual material, language, and some drug content.

Running time: 114 minutes

Greg Berlanti (dir.)

Ian Deitchman (screenplay)

Kristin Rusk Robinson (screenplay)

Blake Neely (music)

Katherine Heigl as Holly Berenson

Josh Duhamel as Eric Messer

Josh Lucas as Sam

Christina Hendricks as Alison Novak

Melissa McCarthy as Deedee

Hayes MacArthur as Peter Novak

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture

LAWD-01326: (L-r) KATHERINE HEIGL as Holly Berenson, holding Sophie, and JOSH DUHAMEL as Eric Messer in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ romantic comedy “LIFE AS WE KNOW IT,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Peter Iovino

Our reviews below:

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Life as We Know It Review By John C.

** (out of 4)

Life as We Know It is sure to be enjoyed by parents on their night out, but offers few memorable moments for those of us that don’t have kids. This latest romantic-comedy, specifically in the Katherine Heigl sub-genre, is often pleasant and sometimes sweet, but it’s also unoriginal and generally forgettable.

When their mutual best friends die, Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl) and Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel) are the names left on the will as guardians for their orphaned daughter Sophie. Though they initially can’t stand each other, Holly and Messer move into their friends’ old house and try to make the best of raising the adorable 1-year-old. Many sappy montages follow, as well as supposedly comedic interludes with their neighbours and run-ins with an obnoxious social worker, until the two start to develop feelings for each other.

The film’s biggest problem, besides the grandiose near-two hour running time, is that the drama is only intermittently affecting, and the comedy is usually agreeable but not particularly funny. The drama actually takes itself so seriously at times, that the film injects twice as much humour than it needed, presumably as comic relief. One off-colour sequence that copies a far superior scene in Knocked Up even has Holly and Messer get stoned and watch children’s television.

Although Life as We Know It is far too long and it’s tone is often awkward, it’s certainly not the worst of this year’s romantic-comedies. This is fairly competent and adequate entertainment for its target audience, but there are far better movies for everyone else.

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Life as We Know It Review By Erin V.

**1/2 (out of 4)

In Life as We Know It, Holly (Katherine Heigl) and Eric (Josh Duhamel) were once set up on a blind date – that ended terribly before it even started – by their mutual friends Alison and Peter. Now, three years later, Alison and Peter have since gotten married and had a cute little daughter named Sophie. Then, the unthinkable happens – they both die in a car accident. This leaves Sophie with no one to care for her, except for those named in the will – Holly and Eric. Together. Sure, it’s contrived, but honestly, Life as We Know It is not as bad as you’d think.

From the trailer, this film looked like it could have been a painfully bad film to watch – for me, it wasn’t, instead providing a pleasant enough diversionary film. Despite the slightly long running length, the characters’ interactions with each other, (and particularly with the baby Sophie), are sweet (albeit predictable), making it pleasant enough to watch.

I think those who actually go out to buy a ticket to this film are going to like it, particularly new parents of young kids. Of all the rom-coms of the year, this is one I like better than most I’ve seen, and it certainly won’t be making my worst list. While personally I don’t think it will lose anything in the transfer to DVD, either way, if you want to see it, or like the main leads, go for it.

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Life as We Know It Review By Nicole

**1/2 (out of 4)

Life as We Know It is a charming romantic dramedy about an accidental family. The movie begins in 2007, when a couple, Alison and Peter, decide to set up their best friends Holly (Katherine Heigl) and Eric (Josh Duhamel) on a blind date, with no success. Three years later, Alison and Peter are parents of an adorable little girl named Sophie. But when the two die in a car accident, Sophie is entrusted into the care of godparents Holly and Eric, as stated in her parent’s will. Now as unintentional parents, Holy and Eric must work together as a team. Taking care of Sophie just might make the three a real family.

Life as We Know It, is by no means a brilliant film. The film, at many times, is nothing more than a silly comedy, while also being a drama. But overall, this is a harmless movie about parenthood. There are a lot of sweet and charming moments. Add a cute baby, and you have an entertaining film that is worth at least a weekend rental.

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Life as We Know It Review By Maureen

**1/2 (out of 4)

If you were to judge this movie by the trailers or the movie posters you would expect an all out gross-out gag focused comedy about inept parenting. Fortunately Life as We Know It has more going for it than just dirty diaper jokes. Overall, this is a sweet romantic comedy with enough dramatic moments to keep it believable. Yes, it’s really predictable but the lead actors Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel are nice to look at and the triplets who play baby Sophie are really cute.

Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl) and Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel) are singles with promising careers as a caterer and sports network director. The only things they share are their mutual friends, Allison (Christina Hendricks) and Peter (Hayes MacArthur) and godparenting duties for Allison and Peter’s baby, Sophie. Life throws Holly and Eric a curveball when Allison and Peter are tragically killed. The will names Holly and Eric as Sophie’s legal guardians. The pair move into Allison and Peter’s house and together they try to co-parent a baby they both love but never expected to raise.

The movie goes back and forth between dramatic moments and the typical inexperienced parent gags about messy feedings and messier diapers. Sometimes it tries too hard to be a comedy with lines and gags that could have been left out. A shorter running time would have been better.

There is a sweetness to the love/hate relationship between Holly and Eric. It’s obvious they care deeply for Sophie and eventually for their ready-made family. Of course little Sophie steals every scene she’s in. Life as We Know It it will probably appeal the most to parents of little kids. As any parent quickly learns, life as you know it does change once you have kids no matter how those kids came to be.

Life as We Know It is a nice diversion for overtired parents whether you see it now in theatres or later on DVD.

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Life as We Know It Review By Tony

** (out of 4)

Life As We Know It begins with a blind date back in 2007 between Holly (Katherine Heigl) and Messer (Josh Duhamel) that ended before it started. For almost the first half hour of the film, scenes of the marriage of their mutual high school friends, the Novaks, birth of their daughter Sophie (Clagett triplets) and her christening with Holly and Messer as godparents reinforce their continuing dislike for each other. Holly runs a successful Atlanta bakeshop and has her eye on a local doctor Sam (Josh Lukas), while Messer is a pro sports TV director whose favourite recreation is one night stands. When the Novaks are suddenly killed in a car accident and Holly and Messer find themselves thrown together in the Novak’s house with joint custody of Sophie, they have to make the best of it.

Based on the trailers for Life As We Know It I was not expecting much more than a lot of silly inept parenting gags. In fact, despite predictable setbacks the leads prove to be reasonably good foster parents and the kid is cute, so the film is bearable, if uneven. There is a serviceable cast of amusing neighbours and others and the story does go somewhere, but at almost two hours is too long.

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Consensus: Although it runs a little long at close to two hours and it’s mix of comedy and drama is sometimes awkward, Life as We Know It is a predictable but surprisingly pleasant and sweet romantic-comedy. **1/4 (Out of 4)