Friends with Kids

[daytob]

I didnt enjoy the movie at all. didnt find it funny, just seemed to be another one of those movies where the actors are all straining for the good lines. and dont get me started on Chris O'Dowds accent.

[prettyxcool]

We saw this last Thursday at Shit-bury, thanks to prettyxcool. They are always disorganized there but that was on a different level altogether!
The film unfortunately was very forgettable. Given the talent cramped into it I was really looking froward to seeing it, which probably made it seem more disappointing than it should be - but disappointing it is. A very average and very unfunny 5/10

ps Just reread this, it sounds as an accusation - I am very thankful to prettyxcool for thickets!

Just catching up and saw this! You made me laugh!

[stuartboy]

Meh!

NFS.

(Not For Stuartboys).

4/10

Oh! @Beate - there were TWO poop scenes!

[Beate]

Saw this again today at a poorly advertised and hence only half full Picturehouse members' preview. I am afraid to say it doesn't hold up to a second viewing - Jennifer Westfeldt is just annoying, Adam Scott is chinless and Ed Burns has eaten too many doughnuts since 27 Dresses. And the ending is just horribly unromantic really.

But on the plus side, Picturehouse Greenwich is the perfect cinema in which to sit out a film when you're tired as the seats are so comfy that it's easy to have a refreshing little nap. Maybe I should make this a regular occurence - after an interrupted night, pick a mediocre film and have a nice morning snooze.

6.5/10

[valda]

Saw this again today at a poorly advertised and hence only half full Picturehouse members' preview. I am afraid to say it doesn't hold up to a second viewing - Jennifer Westfeldt is just annoying, Adam Scott is chinless and Ed Burns has eaten too many doughnuts since 27 Dresses. And the ending is just horribly unromantic really.

But on the plus side, Picturehouse Greenwich is the perfect cinema in which to sit out a film when you're tired as the seats are so comfy that it's easy to have a refreshing little nap. Maybe I should make this a regular occurence - after an interrupted night, pick a mediocre film and have a nice morning snooze.

6.5/10

God, it didn't stand up to a first viewing for me. I totally agree with your views on t Jennifer and Adam. I really disliked him, looks like they were trying to make him into a mini Jerry maguire, who is mini enough as it is As for Jennifer, how much botox was she using?

[The Sparrow]

Saw this again today at a poorly advertised and hence only half full Picturehouse members' preview. I am afraid to say it doesn't hold up to a second viewing - Jennifer Westfeldt is just annoying, Adam Scott is chinless and Ed Burns has eaten too many doughnuts since 27 Dresses. And the ending is just horribly unromantic really.

But on the plus side, Picturehouse Greenwich is the perfect cinema in which to sit out a film when you're tired as the seats are so comfy that it's easy to have a refreshing little nap. Maybe I should make this a regular occurence - after an interrupted night, pick a mediocre film and have a nice morning snooze.

6.5/10

The preview was advertised in the weekly email and sent to all members who have signed up to receive them. How else can they let members know?

[Beate]

Yeah but it was announced very last minute (my newsletter arrives later and later, received it Friday after some people were already able to book) and easily overlookable. I also can't remember any mention on twitter or an SFF code that usually alerts lots of people to it (but I saw a comp for it which is the first thing that alerted me). Some Picturehouses like Stratford East didn't do this one so their members didn't know they could have gone to other Picturehouses to see it which they confirmed on twitter is something they would have allowed them to do.
So yeah, this one went kind of under the radar and consequently Greenwich was only half full which it usually isn't. I can also understand people not expecting it as it's only a week since the last members' preview!

[The Sparrow]

I've had my newsletter at the weekend before now, it can be hit or miss.
This was a members only preview, so no code as no screening partner.

[prettyxcool]

I won mine through a comp!

It was 80% full at Clapham.

I liked the first half and thought it was promising, but the second half let it down, it got so predictable and reminded me of Rachel and Ross in Friends, still dating other people when they had a baby together, but not as funny. The film's script is just not funny, revolving around three couples, whose only thing on their minds is sex. Then it got too emotional, more drama than a comedy.

The two leads, were really annoying, I didn't take to them at all. Adam Scott's character is really shallow and creepy, and Jennifer Westfeldt's character is so whinny. Best thing was the perfect man in Edward Burns!

5/10

[spoiler]Can someone tell me what was the last thing Jennifer said - she was so whinny, I think I had selective hearing, so did not make out what she said![/spoiler]

[Jayman]

Didn't hate this as much as you lot. At first I thought some lazy writer had merely taken the title & premise of "Friends with Benefits" and changed the last word to "Kids". First half was a nightmare of cliches and predictable dialogue, but it did thankfully become a little more interesting towards the latter half, especially after John Hamm addresses the elephant in the room. Yes indeed, you can't be a parent for the sake of convenience - there are several emotional layers which need to be nurtured consistently, not just for the child but for the parents as well, and parenting for the sake of convenience is about as selfish as you get. The two leads are supposed to be intelligent people and yet neither of them is capable of realising the inherent danger of this impetuous decision.

I thought the performances were good, even though I don't like Adam Scott. He reminds me of that pretentious kid at school everybody always wanted to beat up. Even the scrawny ones. No way would this guy get as much as action as he does in the movie. And I agree that the Bridesmaids stars were wasted, but then again I didn't think Bridesmaids was all that (I imagine many of you will have simply stopped reading at this point). On the other hand, I did relate to his character as I too am a bachelor in my mid-30s, and I too have always dreamt about fathering a child. Maybe the movie held my attention because I found myself living vicariously through his character...who knows.

Overall, this is not my favourite movie of the year (not by a longshot) but it certainly wasn't as bad as I expected from the reviews above.

Two quick points.

One, Chris O' Dowd is so much better when he's not trying to imitate an American. Please Chris, don't ever Goddamn do this again. And secondly, what kind of a moron Hollywood writer thinks the term "f**k the shit out of me" can possibly qualify as affectionate? Well, maybe in scatalogical porn but certainly not in a commercial rom-drama.