I don't know why they made this

annapintus2

An ironic title for such an obvious and in many ways clichéd plot premise. Directed by Douglas McGrath and adapted from the popular novel by Allison Pearson, the film follows Kate Reddy in her apparent 'struggle' to maintain a work-life balance. A powerful business woman with a loving husband, beautiful children and oodles of cash, it is difficult from the off to see where the problem is. And who, I hear you ask, is the woman to take on this complex and challenging role? Stepping out of her Jimmy Choos and into, well Louboutins, is SJP (Sarah Jessica Parker), perfectly preened as ever, trying and unfortunately failing to convince us that she doesn't even have time to brush her hair in the morning.

Whilst Kate flits between Boston and New York, pursuing the deal that could define her career, we are treated to a series of slightly odd and disjointed straight to camera dialogue segments, in which characters completely unrelated to the plot tell us what being a good mother means to them. Case and point is gym bunny Wendy Best (Busy Phillips) who sees working out all day, but making sure she is home for the kids after school, as the quintessential quality of a good mother. Questionable logic at best.

Returning to globetrotter Kate, we are teased with the possibility of a burgeoning illicit romance with suave financial big-shot Jack Abelhammer (the ever so wooden Pierce Brosnan). With all the racy instant messaging and exciting evenings out with the 'normal folk' at the bowling lanes, it's a wonder that Kate is able to resist Jack's smooth and symphonic declaration of love. Irony becomes the only way of describing such awkward interaction. Things barely get any better with Richard, (Greg Kinnear) sweet and unassuming, left to play house husband; aside from the full time nanny of course. The lack of chemistry in both of these couplings can at times be painful to watch.

On a general note, the film is stripped of all its British wit, the book originally being set in London, for American schmaltz. SJP doesn't even bring to the film the sassy 'woman who has it all' vibe from her Sex and the City days. There is no true sense of a woman on the edge, as the title suggests. The film addresses the right issues: the struggles of motherhood, from finding pancake batter on a suit lapel to the nightmare of nits are all explored, but they are not taken to the point of desperation to prompt empathy or even sympathy in the viewer.

The film wraps with a thought provoking moral…as the snow conveniently begins to fall outside the school gates Kate can finally fulfill the important promise she made to her children to, wait for it, build a snow man.

score 2/10

annapintus2 15 February 2013

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2754185/