Rating: PG-13
Starring:
Katherine Heigl as Holly Berenson
Josh Duhamel as Eric Messer
Josh Lucas as Sam
Alexis, Brynn and Brooke Clagett as Sophie
Hayes MacArthur as Peter Novak
Christina Hendricks as Alison Novack
Sarah Burns as Janine Groff
Jessica St. Clair as Beth
Britt Flatmo as Amy
Rob Huebel as Ted
Melissa McCarthy as DeeDee
DeRay Davis as Lonnie
Kumail Nanjiani as Simon
Andrew Daly as Scott
Bill Brochtrup as Gary
Will Sasso as Josh
Majandra Delfino as Jenna
Directed by Greg Berlanti
Special Features:
A Survival Guide to Instant Parenting – Cast Members Offer Outrageously Funny Child-Rearing Advice That Would Make the PTA Cringe
Katherine Heigl: Becoming the Best Mom Ever – See All the Touching, Funny, and Challenging Moments Katherine Faced in Becoming an Overnight Mom.
Josh Duhamel: The Triplet Tamer – Josh Gets Sentimental and Brims with Charm As He Wins the Admiration of His Three “Little” Leading Ladies
Additional Scenes
Other Info:
Widescreen (2.40:1)
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Sound
Spanish and French Languages
Spanish and French Subtitles
Running Time: 114 Minutes
The Details:
The following is the official description of the film:
“All Holly (Heigl) and Messer (Duhamel) have in common is a dislike for each other and a love for their goddaughter Sophie. But when they suddenly become all Sophie has in the world, Holly and Messer must set their differences aside.”
“Life As We Know It” is rated PG-13 for sexual material, language and some drug content.
Mini-Review:
If you’re a parent, at one point or another you’ve thought about who would take care of your kids if something happened to you and your spouse. It comes with the job. And if you thought about that, you probably had the scary realization about just how few good options there might be. “Life As We Know It” plays out that worst case scenario. The two godparents, who despise each other, end up being the best option to take care of Sophie when her parents are killed in a car crash.
“Life As We Know It” does a few things right. First of all, they make this unlikely scenario somewhat believable. You really believe that Sophie’s parents had no better option than Holly and Messer. You believe the fact that they might not have discussed it with them beforehand. You also buy the fact that the two godparents who hate each other could overcome their differences and, predictably, fall in love with each other. (If you think I’m spoiling anything by saying that then you haven’t seen many romantic comedies.) A big part of the comedy in the movie is seeing Holly and Messer being caught utterly unprepared for taking care of a baby. Any parent will appreciate seeing someone deal with the horror of a blown-out diaper, the Wiggles, an inconsolable baby, and childproof devices. So if you’re a parent, you may get some enjoyment from “Life As We Know It.”
On the negative side, this movie is utterly predictable. It follows the formula of practically every romantic comedy ever made. Two characters hate each other, are forced together by unusual circumstances, then ultimately fall in love with each other and live happily ever after. It’s like the script was written using Mad Libs and they just filled in the blanks. Even the baby gags were straight out of any movie where people unexpectedly have to take care of a baby. There’s absolutely nothing original here. There are also some drug related jokes that seem really out of place in this film.
But let’s face it, sometimes you’re in the mood for something unoriginal. And if you want a sappy, predictable romantic comedy featuring unnaturally beautiful people, then “Life As We Know It” will satisfy you. If you’re looking for something more sophisticated, look elsewhere.
The Blu-ray has a few bonus features. They include some featurettes showing Heigl learning the techniques of mommy-hood, Duhamel taming the triplets from the film, and a joke featurette about parenting. Also included are some deleted scenes.
