Movie Review: "Life as We Know It"

Seen on: October 8, 2010

The players: Director: Greg Berlanti, Writers: Ian Deitchman, Kristin Rusk Robinson, Cast: Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel, Josh Lucas

Facts of interest: None.

The plot: Two adults who hate each other become the legal guardians of a little baby girl after her parents tragically die in a car crash.

Our thoughts: Greg Berlanti’s “Life as We Know It” is a traditional romantic comedy about two individuals who hate each other first but later realize they were meant to be together all along. Yes, it’s that kind of movie, and no, it doesn’t bring anything refreshing to the table. It’s a big pile of recycled material we’ve already seen in tons of other big-screen comedies.

Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel star as Holly and Eric, who once went on a date set up by their mutual best friends. Things didn’t go so well that night, and they’ve been loathing each other ever since. Ironically, their best buddies also picked them to be the godparents of their newborn daughter Sophie, which means they’re forced to run into each other over and over again.

Things get even weirder when Sophie’s parents tragically die in a car accident, leaving them as legal guardians of the child. Neither Eric nor Holly knew anything about this, but for the sake of the girl they both love, they’re willing to give it a shot, which means they’re forced to live under the same roof and try their best to act as responsible caregivers without despising each other all too much.

“Life as We Know It” employs an old formula to tell a simplistic and utterly predictable story about two people who discover they’re in love with each other as they struggle with the tricky mission of taking care of a baby.  Not only does this new situation they’ve been forced into make them reevaluate their lives and dreams, but it also teaches them that sometimes life is indeed about making sacrifices.

Not much else is happening in “Life as We Know It.” The plot follows Eric and Holly as they struggle with keeping Sophie happy while slowly falling for each other at the same time, but the film’s humor feels mostly monotonous and the poop jokes grow old fast while other attempts at provoking big laughs totally fail. The movie screams for a sense of freshness and light comedy that never materialize…

Heigl plays the kind of character she always plays, and while she still looks awesome, her acting failed to impress me. The same goes for Duhamel, who simply doesn’t get to work with compelling material. They both share a certain chemistry that’s hard to ignore, but none of it stands out enough for anyone to really care about their characters. Plus, Eric and Holly both make some really stupid decisions.

Freaky quote: "Oh god, she's going to poop in the tub." - Katherine Heigl

The final word: “Life as We Know It” is not the most boring comedy I’ve seen this year, but it lacks depth and laughs. It boasts some cute moments and one or two entertaining montages, but that’s about it. It’s certainly watchable on the big-screen, but it’s also quite an unnecessary film. You can definitely skip it. You’re not missing out on anything here.

Article by Franck Tabouring