Rated PG-13 for sexual references throughout.
Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Greg Kinnear and Pierce Brosnan
Directed by Douglas McGrath (Company Man and Emma)
Honestly, I just don’t care how she does it.
Kate Reddy (Parker) devotes her days to her job with a Boston-based financial management firm. At night she goes home to her adoring, recently-downsized architect husband Richard (Kinnear) and their two young children. It’s a non-stop balancing act, the same one that Kate’s acerbic best friend and fellow working mother Allison (Christina Hendricks) performs on a daily basis, and that Kate’s super-brainy, child-phobic young junior associate Momo (Olivia Munn) fully intends to avoid. When Kate gets handed a major new account that will require frequent trips to New York, Richard also wins the new job he’s been hoping for—and both will be spreading themselves even thinner. Complicating matters is Kate’s charming new business associate Jack Abelhammer (Brosnan), who begins to prove an unexpected source of temptation.
I should start by letting you know that I don’t mind chick flicks but I am not a fan of Sarah Jessica Parker. It’s easy for me to say I didn’t like this movie, but I’m not the target audience, because I’m not a super-rich working mother.
So how does she do it? Barely. Parker mails in the performance that looks a lot like her Carrie Bradshaw character from Sex and the City. But that’s the least of the films problems. The story has so many holes in it that it gets more and more ridiculous as the movie goes on. Like one big hole is “Why don’t they just hire a full-time nanny?” I mean it’s hard to feel sorry for someone with that kind of money who lives in that kind of house and has that kind of stuff. Hey here’s a thought – sit down with your husband and talk! But then again what kind of “comedy” would that be??!
Then there is her assistant Momo (Olivia Munn). From what we know Momo loves her career and doesn’t want a family anytime soon. Then she gets pregnant (imagine our surprise) and in one 30-second conversation, Kate somehow convinces Momo that raising a baby would be amazing. Wait, what?? Are the filmmakers trying to make the point that we are to cherish parenthood? Or your career? Or both? I don’t know, honestly, I don’t care. It’s a “Coaster.”
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is no sex or nudity in this one. There is a scene at a strip club but the only thing shown are the girls legs and men watching. There are a few S-words and D-words.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
A: The message in this movie is parenthood is difficult and sometimes both parents need to or want to work. And when that happens, priorities need to be rearranged and sacrifices have to be made.
What are your top ten priorities?
Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
A: When was the last time you evaluated your priorities and rearranged them? Sometimes life gets hectic and without even realizing it, our priorities get all messed up.
Read Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
What do you think Jesus is trying to tell us about our priorities?
What is the promise He gives us if we do keep Him first?
Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
A: The question we have to wrestle with is how do we keep Jesus as the top priority?
So as you look at your top ten list, does anything need to be rearranged?
What is one thing you can do this week to keep Jesus at the top of your list?
