The entertaining comedy duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler don't quite live up to expectations in this movie. Those two are usually very fun together and while there are some amusing moments in Baby Mama, I ultimately found it to be a bit underwhelming. A good supporting cast can't lift it out of mediocrity either.
128 Reviews
Better than expected
Smells_Like_Cheese30 April 2008
When I first saw the trailer for Baby Mama, I just thought this movie was going to be a total disaster, it didn't look funny and like another typical chick flick. But my friends wanted to see it, so we saw it opening weekend, and actually I was surprised, I did like a lot better than what I was expecting. Baby Mama is something that looks like from the Lifetime Network, but it's all good, it has some really funny moments and was just cute. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are two very funny women from Saturday Night Live, they also did Mean Girls together and made their characters an absolute joy to watch, so seeing them as the leads in this film was going to be an interesting turn. Tina Fey definitely has a lot of talent not only as a writer, but as an actress, she made her character believable and as neuritic as she was, she was still likable. Amy Poehler made her character a little too SNL at times, but these girls made the movie enjoyable and a fun flick to watch for the afternoon.
Kate is a single and successful woman who seems to have it all in life, but one thing she wants so bad is a baby. But one problem, her uterus isn't liked by her doctor, in other words, she has a one in a million chance of getting pregnant. After adoption woes and sperm donor failures, she decides to get a sergeant mother who will get pregnant and give her a child. She meets white trash couple, Angie and Carl. Angie moves into Kate's apartment after her break up with Carl, so this "odd couple" has to teach each other some new moves in life.
Baby Mama is actually worth the watch, I was very impressed with how much I liked it, like I said, from the trailer, it doesn't seem like a good movie, but when you watch it, you get the laughs and the smiles that the movie promises. It is a chick flick, warning to people who have a strong hatred for them, but I'm not a fan of chick flicks, and you know what? I thought that this was just a fun movie that if you let go and even enjoy the predictability, you'll find yourself loving Baby Mama.
7/10
Kate is a single and successful woman who seems to have it all in life, but one thing she wants so bad is a baby. But one problem, her uterus isn't liked by her doctor, in other words, she has a one in a million chance of getting pregnant. After adoption woes and sperm donor failures, she decides to get a sergeant mother who will get pregnant and give her a child. She meets white trash couple, Angie and Carl. Angie moves into Kate's apartment after her break up with Carl, so this "odd couple" has to teach each other some new moves in life.
Baby Mama is actually worth the watch, I was very impressed with how much I liked it, like I said, from the trailer, it doesn't seem like a good movie, but when you watch it, you get the laughs and the smiles that the movie promises. It is a chick flick, warning to people who have a strong hatred for them, but I'm not a fan of chick flicks, and you know what? I thought that this was just a fun movie that if you let go and even enjoy the predictability, you'll find yourself loving Baby Mama.
7/10
A Buddy Comedy with a Healthy Dose of Estrogen
evanston_dad1 May 2008
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler prove that buddy comedies need not be the exclusive domain of naughty boys.
"Baby Mama" is no comic masterpiece, but it's at least as good as any number of formulaic comedies churned out by Hollywood and much better than many others. Fey is the uptight career woman who hears her biological clock ticking at 37 and wants to have a baby before it's too late. Poehler is the low-class, free-wheeling blonde who agrees to be her surrogate mother for a hefty fee. The usual odd-couple conflicts ensue, maternal instincts kick in, and in traditional sitcom style, everyone gets what they want in the end.
The movie is mostly an excuse to give Fey and Poehler the chance to riff off of one another, and they do it well. Poehler especially displays the ability to carry a movie, something most SNL veterans aren't able to do. She's funny, but she's also able to embody an actual character rather than simply do skit-T.V. schtick. Just watch her horrified face the first time she tastes water; or the hilarious scene when Fey wrestles her into the shower and begins to scrub the hair dye off of her head in a scene that spoofs "Silkwood."
Also starring Greg Kinnear as a smoothie store owner, and a whacked out Steve Martin as Fey's new age boss.
Grade: A-
"Baby Mama" is no comic masterpiece, but it's at least as good as any number of formulaic comedies churned out by Hollywood and much better than many others. Fey is the uptight career woman who hears her biological clock ticking at 37 and wants to have a baby before it's too late. Poehler is the low-class, free-wheeling blonde who agrees to be her surrogate mother for a hefty fee. The usual odd-couple conflicts ensue, maternal instincts kick in, and in traditional sitcom style, everyone gets what they want in the end.
The movie is mostly an excuse to give Fey and Poehler the chance to riff off of one another, and they do it well. Poehler especially displays the ability to carry a movie, something most SNL veterans aren't able to do. She's funny, but she's also able to embody an actual character rather than simply do skit-T.V. schtick. Just watch her horrified face the first time she tastes water; or the hilarious scene when Fey wrestles her into the shower and begins to scrub the hair dye off of her head in a scene that spoofs "Silkwood."
Also starring Greg Kinnear as a smoothie store owner, and a whacked out Steve Martin as Fey's new age boss.
Grade: A-
My avatar is dressed like a whore
Baby Mama
jaredmobarak22 April 2008
Say what you will about the marketing machine, but I truly think the people behind promoting Baby Mama did a bang up job
even if I believe they did so without trying. They make expectations so low in the trailer that you almost have to enjoy the film. Was it a great comedy? No. However, it was much better than I ever could have hoped as Michael McCullers takes us places you never would expect going in. I thought that it would be a water-downed, overlong SNL skit with one woman asking another to carry her baby, leading to a generic odd couple pairing with hijinks and gags piling on top of each other, collapsing under its own weight. Instead we are treated to a pretty sentimental and touching portrait of two women learning to grow and evolve with help from the other, a person, in both regards, that they never would have thought could teach them anything. Even the pregnancy aspect takes a ton of twists and turns never becoming the straight shot gimmick just bringing everyone together. The surrogate mother here must make some tough decisions as she continues along on her journey, lending a side to the tale that actually brings it to a level of intrigue that no Lorne Michaels film has done in recent memory.
I don't want to ruin the plot points of Angie Ostrowiski's pregnancy, but let's just say it isn't cut and dry. Her motives aren't genuine, something that is obvious from the start, just not quite in the way you anticipate. There are surprises for her and secrets hidden from the other characters as she wrestles within herself. A "white-trash" loser, attached to a man that believes waiting on the phone to be the 132.7 caller is a job, Angie learns a lot while with mom-to-be Kate Holbrook. Kate, being the professional VP of an organic food market, is a very detail orientated woman who is by the books and unafraid to tell others what they should do. It is an oil and water connection, butlike all good relationships of this kindbreeds some real funny and touching moments. Who thought watching Karaoke on the Playstation could be so much fun? Sure many instances feel like skits written separately and plugged in later, (the clubbing while pregnant, the press conference ambush, and the surrogate therapy sessionprobably the funniest scene without question), but they are surprisingly strung together to make a pretty coherent whole.
The other thing that the trailer hides is the inclusion of two great male roles. Did anyone know that Greg Kinnear and Steve Martin were in this thing? I for one was completely surprised by both, almost chuckling that they would have a small cameo until I realized that both were key roles to the whole. In the best turn of the film, Steve Martin is crazy, hippie genius. His earthy style of living, complete with long ponytail and soft speech, even when angered, is classic, as is everything uttered from his mouth. He is so good that I would be thrilled to have him offer me 5 uninterrupted minutes of staring into his eyes as a reward for a job well done. For Kinnear's part, he plays the usual love interest that is commonplace in films of this ilk. It's not flashy and it's not very original, but Greg is a stalwart and pulls off the good guy persona, even including a little bit of physical humor at the end.
Overall, though, this film is pretty standard fare. It goes into very broad comedy at times and very sappy/overly-sentimental drivel at others. There are some good jokes sprinkled throughout and for the most part keep it fun for the duration. Definitely feeling longer than it is, I never quite felt bored and I did begin to get invested in the story to see how it all would turn out. A lot of that can be credited to the chemistry between Tina Fey and Amy Pohler as Kate and Angie respectively. Both these women do a great job with their roles, fleshing out the psychotic relationship to perfection. One of the successful dynamics is how Fey becomes a mother figure to her surrogate. Even going so far as having temper tantrums and rubber-faced reactions, Pohler is a child.
It's also nice to see some fun moments from the supporting cast, but again nothing really sticks out to vault anything into must see territory. Sigourney Weaver is actually kinda scary in a very weird role; Romany Malco has plenty of great one-liners and facial expressions; and John Hodgeman is a bit odd in a small bit, with laughs coming more from the recognition of his Mac commercials than anything he does in the film. In the end, while nothing over-achieves, it all adds up to a pretty solid comedy worth a view. Is it necessary to see on the big screen? Probably not, but if you were worried that it might be a train-wreck, just know that it never takes any chances to risk derailing, and that's not a bad thing.
I don't want to ruin the plot points of Angie Ostrowiski's pregnancy, but let's just say it isn't cut and dry. Her motives aren't genuine, something that is obvious from the start, just not quite in the way you anticipate. There are surprises for her and secrets hidden from the other characters as she wrestles within herself. A "white-trash" loser, attached to a man that believes waiting on the phone to be the 132.7 caller is a job, Angie learns a lot while with mom-to-be Kate Holbrook. Kate, being the professional VP of an organic food market, is a very detail orientated woman who is by the books and unafraid to tell others what they should do. It is an oil and water connection, butlike all good relationships of this kindbreeds some real funny and touching moments. Who thought watching Karaoke on the Playstation could be so much fun? Sure many instances feel like skits written separately and plugged in later, (the clubbing while pregnant, the press conference ambush, and the surrogate therapy sessionprobably the funniest scene without question), but they are surprisingly strung together to make a pretty coherent whole.
The other thing that the trailer hides is the inclusion of two great male roles. Did anyone know that Greg Kinnear and Steve Martin were in this thing? I for one was completely surprised by both, almost chuckling that they would have a small cameo until I realized that both were key roles to the whole. In the best turn of the film, Steve Martin is crazy, hippie genius. His earthy style of living, complete with long ponytail and soft speech, even when angered, is classic, as is everything uttered from his mouth. He is so good that I would be thrilled to have him offer me 5 uninterrupted minutes of staring into his eyes as a reward for a job well done. For Kinnear's part, he plays the usual love interest that is commonplace in films of this ilk. It's not flashy and it's not very original, but Greg is a stalwart and pulls off the good guy persona, even including a little bit of physical humor at the end.
Overall, though, this film is pretty standard fare. It goes into very broad comedy at times and very sappy/overly-sentimental drivel at others. There are some good jokes sprinkled throughout and for the most part keep it fun for the duration. Definitely feeling longer than it is, I never quite felt bored and I did begin to get invested in the story to see how it all would turn out. A lot of that can be credited to the chemistry between Tina Fey and Amy Pohler as Kate and Angie respectively. Both these women do a great job with their roles, fleshing out the psychotic relationship to perfection. One of the successful dynamics is how Fey becomes a mother figure to her surrogate. Even going so far as having temper tantrums and rubber-faced reactions, Pohler is a child.
It's also nice to see some fun moments from the supporting cast, but again nothing really sticks out to vault anything into must see territory. Sigourney Weaver is actually kinda scary in a very weird role; Romany Malco has plenty of great one-liners and facial expressions; and John Hodgeman is a bit odd in a small bit, with laughs coming more from the recognition of his Mac commercials than anything he does in the film. In the end, while nothing over-achieves, it all adds up to a pretty solid comedy worth a view. Is it necessary to see on the big screen? Probably not, but if you were worried that it might be a train-wreck, just know that it never takes any chances to risk derailing, and that's not a bad thing.
Tina Fey continues to climb the comedy hierarchy in "Baby Mama"
Movie_Muse_Reviews2 January 2009
There weren't too many people hotter than Tina Fey in 2008. Between the smash comedy 30 Rock, her impression of GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and taking the lead for the first time in a movie with "Baby Mama," Fey and her iconic black-rimmed glasses have soared above and beyond Saturday Night Live. While the film "Baby Mama" might not be her most notable exploit, it's brand of subtle humor works in her favor and makes for an enjoyable film.
Fey plays Kate, a late thirties (her true age) businesswoman who has never been married and is also incapable of conceiving a child though she desperately wants one. When Kate stumbles across an agency specializing in surrogate pregnancy, she meets Angie, a high school dropout played by SNL's Amy Poehler, and the two agree that Angie will have Kate's baby. When Angie's trash boyfriend Carl (Dax Shepard) cheats on her, she moves in with Kate and the two have to reconcile their conflicting lifestyles.
Though Fey carries her own comedic presence in her reactions to the bizarre characters around her, it's Poehler's character that is meant to serve as comic relief in her mis-educated habits in life and in pregnancy. She provides a variety of physical humor and also gets some laughs at her character for her sheer ignorance, though it's pretty hit-or-miss with her. While in a lot of her work she can come off as annoying, she's a bit more mild in this film.
The rest of a cast is full of high profile actors in smaller roles and other familiar faces to boost the unproven star power of Fey and Poehler. Greg Kinnear plays Fey's love interest, who is just supposed to be a "nice guy" and nothing more and Maura Tierney of "ER" plays Fey's sister. Top that off with appearances by Steve Martin as Fey's zen/hippie boss and Sigourney Weaver as the head of the surrogate agency and there's plenty of time for "look who it is!" amazement as you watch.
"Baby Mama" doesn't throw anything unusual at us from a comedy stand point, especially being released not even a year after Judd Apatow's "Knocked Up" provided a similar concept, but it has its own subtle, very SNL-like comedic style. That might be easy to say because Fey, Poehler and creator Michael McCullers connections to the show, but like SNL sketches, "Baby Mama" relies on the talents of its actors in creating nutty characters and the way the "normal" characters perceive them. While this doesn't work all the time, it gets better toward the end and the plot keeps you interested enough to wear you certainly don't dismiss it and you may even really like it.
Fey plays Kate, a late thirties (her true age) businesswoman who has never been married and is also incapable of conceiving a child though she desperately wants one. When Kate stumbles across an agency specializing in surrogate pregnancy, she meets Angie, a high school dropout played by SNL's Amy Poehler, and the two agree that Angie will have Kate's baby. When Angie's trash boyfriend Carl (Dax Shepard) cheats on her, she moves in with Kate and the two have to reconcile their conflicting lifestyles.
Though Fey carries her own comedic presence in her reactions to the bizarre characters around her, it's Poehler's character that is meant to serve as comic relief in her mis-educated habits in life and in pregnancy. She provides a variety of physical humor and also gets some laughs at her character for her sheer ignorance, though it's pretty hit-or-miss with her. While in a lot of her work she can come off as annoying, she's a bit more mild in this film.
The rest of a cast is full of high profile actors in smaller roles and other familiar faces to boost the unproven star power of Fey and Poehler. Greg Kinnear plays Fey's love interest, who is just supposed to be a "nice guy" and nothing more and Maura Tierney of "ER" plays Fey's sister. Top that off with appearances by Steve Martin as Fey's zen/hippie boss and Sigourney Weaver as the head of the surrogate agency and there's plenty of time for "look who it is!" amazement as you watch.
"Baby Mama" doesn't throw anything unusual at us from a comedy stand point, especially being released not even a year after Judd Apatow's "Knocked Up" provided a similar concept, but it has its own subtle, very SNL-like comedic style. That might be easy to say because Fey, Poehler and creator Michael McCullers connections to the show, but like SNL sketches, "Baby Mama" relies on the talents of its actors in creating nutty characters and the way the "normal" characters perceive them. While this doesn't work all the time, it gets better toward the end and the plot keeps you interested enough to wear you certainly don't dismiss it and you may even really like it.
Predictable Farce Driven by a Deafening Biological Clock and a Familiar "Odd Couple" Set-Up
EUyeshima27 April 2008
There is a smattering of smart laughs in this 2008 comedy, but first-time director Michael McCullers really plods his own coincidence-driven script along with little sense of style or dramatic resonance. At times, it feels no better than a formulaic romantic comedy from the 1960's usually starring small-screen celebrities trying to break into the big time. Sure enough, this time, we are offered Tina Fey (currently of NBC's "30 Rock") and Amy Poehler, former "Saturday Night Live" Weekend Update co-anchors and definitely the cream of the current funny lady crop. The problem is that McCullers, a one-time SNL staff writer who also co-wrote the Austin Powers movies with Mike Myers, doesn't elevate the screenplay much beyond the limited dimensions of an extended comedy sketch. That puts most of the pressure on the two women to make this farce work as a distaff version of "The Odd Couple" with a pregnancy angle, and they often - you should pardon the expression - deliver.
Ideally cast with her smart, bespectacled looks, Fey plays 37-year-old Kate Holbrook, single and professionally successful as the VP of an upscale organic supermarket chain much like Whole Foods. She hears her biological clock ticking and is taking every step possible to have a baby. Her last straw is to pay an agency $100,000 to find a surrogate. Naturally, her polar opposite shows up as the ideal candidate - a junk-food-eating, Red Bull-swilling piece of white trash named Angie Ostrowski who comes with her money-drubbing boyfriend Carl. Kate is so desperate she is practically begging Angie to carry her egg, so Angie willingly accepts. Somehow, the women end up living together during the pregnancy and inevitably get on each other's nerves, more Angie on Kate's nerves since a few revelations threaten to upend the deal. Convenience appears to trump logic in tying up the plot's loose ends, of which there are many. However, McCullers' alternately sauntering and piercing Judd Apatow-like approach helps compensate for the bigger lapses.
A game cast also helps. Although fairly limited as an actress, Fey is sharp and likable as the often dour Kate and has the ability to bring the implausibility of her character's situation into more human focus. Even though she is entirely too old for her role, Poehler is a more natural comic presence as Angie, terrifically manic but surprisingly poignant during key moments. It's obvious their joint casting has more to do with their proved rapport than dramatic credibility. In a turn worthy of Jeff Foxworthy, Dax Shepard credibly makes Carl a mercenary sheep. Romany Malco (memorable as Andy's horned-up co-worker in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin") is given little to do as the streetwise doorman, the same fate of Maura Tierney bland as Kate's supportive sister. Greg Kinnear must be getting awfully tired playing the same type of romantic foil over and over again, but he does do it well even though his scenes also seem strangely truncated. Two veterans threaten to steal the picture in acts of petty larceny - a pony-tailed Steve Martin very funny as Kate's Zen-seeking boss whose idea of a reward is allowing her to stare at him for five minutes, and Sigourney Weaver as the overtly self-satisfied and all-too-fertile head of the agency. SNL regulars Will Forte and Fred Armisen show up in cameos. A fitfully funny farce.
Ideally cast with her smart, bespectacled looks, Fey plays 37-year-old Kate Holbrook, single and professionally successful as the VP of an upscale organic supermarket chain much like Whole Foods. She hears her biological clock ticking and is taking every step possible to have a baby. Her last straw is to pay an agency $100,000 to find a surrogate. Naturally, her polar opposite shows up as the ideal candidate - a junk-food-eating, Red Bull-swilling piece of white trash named Angie Ostrowski who comes with her money-drubbing boyfriend Carl. Kate is so desperate she is practically begging Angie to carry her egg, so Angie willingly accepts. Somehow, the women end up living together during the pregnancy and inevitably get on each other's nerves, more Angie on Kate's nerves since a few revelations threaten to upend the deal. Convenience appears to trump logic in tying up the plot's loose ends, of which there are many. However, McCullers' alternately sauntering and piercing Judd Apatow-like approach helps compensate for the bigger lapses.
A game cast also helps. Although fairly limited as an actress, Fey is sharp and likable as the often dour Kate and has the ability to bring the implausibility of her character's situation into more human focus. Even though she is entirely too old for her role, Poehler is a more natural comic presence as Angie, terrifically manic but surprisingly poignant during key moments. It's obvious their joint casting has more to do with their proved rapport than dramatic credibility. In a turn worthy of Jeff Foxworthy, Dax Shepard credibly makes Carl a mercenary sheep. Romany Malco (memorable as Andy's horned-up co-worker in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin") is given little to do as the streetwise doorman, the same fate of Maura Tierney bland as Kate's supportive sister. Greg Kinnear must be getting awfully tired playing the same type of romantic foil over and over again, but he does do it well even though his scenes also seem strangely truncated. Two veterans threaten to steal the picture in acts of petty larceny - a pony-tailed Steve Martin very funny as Kate's Zen-seeking boss whose idea of a reward is allowing her to stare at him for five minutes, and Sigourney Weaver as the overtly self-satisfied and all-too-fertile head of the agency. SNL regulars Will Forte and Fred Armisen show up in cameos. A fitfully funny farce.
Tina Fey is hot!
C-Younkin26 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
"Baby Mama" is Tina Fey's first lead film role. It's well-deserved after her work on "Mean Girls" and "30 Rock", and she, along with co-star and former SNL cast mate Amy Poehler, do a really nice job of anchoring this one. Fey plays Kate Holbrook, a successful businesswoman who also happens to be a struggling single one. At 37, Kate decides it's time to try and have a child on her own, but her plans are smashed when she finds out there is only a small chance that she can actually become pregnant. With no other option, Kate finds an unlikely surrogate in Angie (Amy Poehler), a trashy and low-rent girl who could really use the money. After learning that Angie is pregnant, Kate begins baby-prepping. Only what she doesn't expect is the arrival of a pregnant Angie at her door with no place to go.
Director and screenwriter Michael McCullers suggests to us early that "Baby Mama" is going to be a tired trip down formula-lane. Kate is an order-nut, Angie is a messy free-spirit, put them together and you have the most predictable storyline ever told. Thankfully enough, McCullers proves clever in finding some fresh laughs here, whether they be from the scary and awkward process of connecting your life with a complete stranger or in the "trivialized" world of modern pregnancy where baby-proofing, the fears of bad eating habits and chemicals in house-hold products, and research books and videos have become exaggerated to the point of causing constant anxiety. The movie is actually damn funny and when it's not it's usually really lovable and it's nice to see a comedy that relies more on wit than on the next crude gag for a change.
Fey and Poehler are also a fantastic match. Fey plays self-deprecating and un-hip better than any actress out there and Poehler is a loonier and more zany comedic actress, and their previous work experience on SNL really shows here. Like some of the better buddy comedies of the past, they establish a chemistry that is as friendly and amusing as it is rocky. Having Greg Kinnear play Fey's love interest and Dax Shepherd play Poehler's idiot boyfriend is also perfect casting, as I had just as much fun watching these two comedic actresses toss around with them as I did with each other. And having two veteran and respected actors in your movie helps too. Sigourney Weaver as an older woman whose still as fertile as ever, and Steve Martin as Fey's hippie, vegan boss are both absolutely hilarious.
"Baby Mama" begins with an "oh no" but quickly settles into something witty and lovable. The script is smart and funny and the cast couldn't be better, especially Fey and Poehler, who seem very comfortable playing off one another. This movie is a good start to two promising careers, and with any luck, two careers that will hopefully cross paths again in another movie someday.
Director and screenwriter Michael McCullers suggests to us early that "Baby Mama" is going to be a tired trip down formula-lane. Kate is an order-nut, Angie is a messy free-spirit, put them together and you have the most predictable storyline ever told. Thankfully enough, McCullers proves clever in finding some fresh laughs here, whether they be from the scary and awkward process of connecting your life with a complete stranger or in the "trivialized" world of modern pregnancy where baby-proofing, the fears of bad eating habits and chemicals in house-hold products, and research books and videos have become exaggerated to the point of causing constant anxiety. The movie is actually damn funny and when it's not it's usually really lovable and it's nice to see a comedy that relies more on wit than on the next crude gag for a change.
Fey and Poehler are also a fantastic match. Fey plays self-deprecating and un-hip better than any actress out there and Poehler is a loonier and more zany comedic actress, and their previous work experience on SNL really shows here. Like some of the better buddy comedies of the past, they establish a chemistry that is as friendly and amusing as it is rocky. Having Greg Kinnear play Fey's love interest and Dax Shepherd play Poehler's idiot boyfriend is also perfect casting, as I had just as much fun watching these two comedic actresses toss around with them as I did with each other. And having two veteran and respected actors in your movie helps too. Sigourney Weaver as an older woman whose still as fertile as ever, and Steve Martin as Fey's hippie, vegan boss are both absolutely hilarious.
"Baby Mama" begins with an "oh no" but quickly settles into something witty and lovable. The script is smart and funny and the cast couldn't be better, especially Fey and Poehler, who seem very comfortable playing off one another. This movie is a good start to two promising careers, and with any luck, two careers that will hopefully cross paths again in another movie someday.
Baby Mama feels lighter and slightly more colourful than a used pregnancy test.
TheMovieDiorama26 April 2019
Fey and Poehler were the 'Saturday Night Live' dream team. Consistently witty and constantly hilarious. But these results are usually produced when they are performing their own writing. McCullers, mostly of 'Austin Powers' fame, unfortunately places too many restraints on these two leads that consequently hold the overall comedy back, despite its sweet lighthearted tone. A single businesswoman, who mostly puts her career before her personal life, desires to conceive a baby but is unable to due to certain complications. She then proceeds to go down the surrogacy route and forces her lifestyle choices upon the surrogate mother.
"I don't like your uterus, I really don't like your uterus". It's a warm tale on motherhood, executed at such a pedestrian pace that it's as if McCullers, who opted to direct this also, was imitating a baby's first steps. It's slow, mostly wobbly, but you can't help but smile at the effort put in. Fey and Poehler emit their natural chemistry once again, and it truly is infectious. The supporting cast also had a few humorous moments, especially the legend that is Weaver who only has to smile and I'm laughing hysterically. Unfortunately the material that out leads are given prevents them from showing their true comedic talents. Rarely did I snigger let alone laugh, which is a dire shame considering my adoration for the SNL dream team. McCullers approach to the idea of surrogacy was naively basic, and it's because of this that the film ultimately felt underwhelming.
The dialogue between them surprisingly lacked personality, conforming to predictable clichéd traits for each character. It probably doesn't help that I dislike babies/infants/most small humans, so shoving a dozen of them in my face almost immediately was probably an indicator. Still, its light endeavours into surrogacy using two of my favourite comedians made for a watchable yet forgettable "comedy" that was absent of laughs. Needed Weaver to release her inner Ripley, then we have a film worth investing in!
"I don't like your uterus, I really don't like your uterus". It's a warm tale on motherhood, executed at such a pedestrian pace that it's as if McCullers, who opted to direct this also, was imitating a baby's first steps. It's slow, mostly wobbly, but you can't help but smile at the effort put in. Fey and Poehler emit their natural chemistry once again, and it truly is infectious. The supporting cast also had a few humorous moments, especially the legend that is Weaver who only has to smile and I'm laughing hysterically. Unfortunately the material that out leads are given prevents them from showing their true comedic talents. Rarely did I snigger let alone laugh, which is a dire shame considering my adoration for the SNL dream team. McCullers approach to the idea of surrogacy was naively basic, and it's because of this that the film ultimately felt underwhelming.
The dialogue between them surprisingly lacked personality, conforming to predictable clichéd traits for each character. It probably doesn't help that I dislike babies/infants/most small humans, so shoving a dozen of them in my face almost immediately was probably an indicator. Still, its light endeavours into surrogacy using two of my favourite comedians made for a watchable yet forgettable "comedy" that was absent of laughs. Needed Weaver to release her inner Ripley, then we have a film worth investing in!
Funny and Serious
JohnDeSando23 April 2008
"They're borrowing one tiny little egg and some space." Donna Regan, surrogate mother
When a woman is 37, generating a baby before the alarm goes off is no laughing matter. Yet first-time helmer Michael McCullers makes an amusing, sometimes poignant rom-com out of not-quite-Judd-Apatow (Knocked Up) wit, but spot on one-liners about the insane race. (Kate Holbrook: What you eat, the baby eats. What you listen to, the baby listens to. Oscar: If you listen to DMX, the baby comes out going' "Ennngghhh!") The film is helped by some fine performances, notably Tina Fey's understated, distraught exec, Kate; Amy Poehler's wired, white-trash surrogate, Angie; and Steve Martin's New-Age entrepreneur, Barry, reminding me of how intelligently Martin can spoof anyone, even himself. But it's the script that rules, taking even the interesting mid-life-crises comedies of the last few years (40 year Old Virgin comes immediately to mind) to a new level of un-hyped reflections about parenting and careers, love and lust, among others.
Kate's meteoric rise in Barry's Whole-Foods-like company is never savaged for leaving her late to the baby business; it is rather a trade-off treated as reasonable that now must be factored in the decision to have a baby before 40 or whenever.
Even fertility, or its enhancement, gets its comeuppance with Sigourney Weaver's smarmy, smug surrogate agency head (remember her Katherine in Working Girl). In other words, while the odd-couple cliché of Kate and Angie, polar opposites, living together is unabashedly mined, the SNL and 30 Rock insights are in tact, flat at times, but overall bright commentary on a complicated contemporary situation that is both serious and funny.
The ending is the only authentic failure of the filmit's unimaginative writing is married to a Hollywood-enforced good feeling out of synch with the untidy enterprise of surrogate mothering and romantic fulfilling. In other words, because the ending is too pat and unbelievable, a surrogate writer should have been commissioned.
When a woman is 37, generating a baby before the alarm goes off is no laughing matter. Yet first-time helmer Michael McCullers makes an amusing, sometimes poignant rom-com out of not-quite-Judd-Apatow (Knocked Up) wit, but spot on one-liners about the insane race. (Kate Holbrook: What you eat, the baby eats. What you listen to, the baby listens to. Oscar: If you listen to DMX, the baby comes out going' "Ennngghhh!") The film is helped by some fine performances, notably Tina Fey's understated, distraught exec, Kate; Amy Poehler's wired, white-trash surrogate, Angie; and Steve Martin's New-Age entrepreneur, Barry, reminding me of how intelligently Martin can spoof anyone, even himself. But it's the script that rules, taking even the interesting mid-life-crises comedies of the last few years (40 year Old Virgin comes immediately to mind) to a new level of un-hyped reflections about parenting and careers, love and lust, among others.
Kate's meteoric rise in Barry's Whole-Foods-like company is never savaged for leaving her late to the baby business; it is rather a trade-off treated as reasonable that now must be factored in the decision to have a baby before 40 or whenever.
Even fertility, or its enhancement, gets its comeuppance with Sigourney Weaver's smarmy, smug surrogate agency head (remember her Katherine in Working Girl). In other words, while the odd-couple cliché of Kate and Angie, polar opposites, living together is unabashedly mined, the SNL and 30 Rock insights are in tact, flat at times, but overall bright commentary on a complicated contemporary situation that is both serious and funny.
The ending is the only authentic failure of the filmit's unimaginative writing is married to a Hollywood-enforced good feeling out of synch with the untidy enterprise of surrogate mothering and romantic fulfilling. In other words, because the ending is too pat and unbelievable, a surrogate writer should have been commissioned.
wait to rent
KnowOne198828 May 2008
To be gifted with the ability to make people laugh is an honor, and with films, script writers can't know for sure what will evoke an uproar from the audience. A lot of times things are a hit in miss with humor. I'm not saying this movie isn't funny, because i did laugh. However, i didn't laugh as hard as i thought i would. The lack of giggles this movie inspired in me is enough to provoke me to label this movie as a letdown. It's not that this movie is bad, or an awful way to spend an evening. It's that movies are an art-form and there is no art to be found. I think a movie is great if two days later you're still actively trying to find someone to talk about it with. i was ready for the movie to end twenty minutes before the credits rolled.
I know what you're thinking. It is a comedy.It is not meant to be insightful. All this is true, but it still didn't meet the specific requirement that ever movie has to. It has to be worth the 8.50 cover charge, and it isn't. I recommend taking that money to a local bar, and buying a pretty lady a drink.
I know what you're thinking. It is a comedy.It is not meant to be insightful. All this is true, but it still didn't meet the specific requirement that ever movie has to. It has to be worth the 8.50 cover charge, and it isn't. I recommend taking that money to a local bar, and buying a pretty lady a drink.
Great Fun
Lil_miss_tazzy27 July 2008
Due to my love of Tina Fey I went out of my way to see this film at the cinema; on first release it was only shown at 11-30 in the morning and I dragged my mum to watch in an empty theatre. All I can say is that it was worth the effort.
The two leads bounce off of one another with brilliant comic timing, and both manage to make their flawed characters utterly likable. Yes, the plot is predictable, and no, there is no joke that made me fall out of my seat. However, it did deliver on many levels. The comedy was sharp and although the ending was a little contrived it did manage to put a goofy smile on the face of a cynical teenager, IE moi. 'Baby Mama' is perfect chick fare, and I am disappointed in the cinemas who have cleared all their screens in preparation for the release of 'The Dark Knight'.
Poehler and Fey sparkled and were supported by an excellent cast; Steve Martin was odd, providing some light comedy, but it was Sigourney Weaver and Greg Kinnear (back on form and looking less haggard) whom i felt really carried the film in the absence of the two leads.
Baby Mama was refreshing and a great indication that we should see more of these two girls on the big screen.
4/5 Stars
The two leads bounce off of one another with brilliant comic timing, and both manage to make their flawed characters utterly likable. Yes, the plot is predictable, and no, there is no joke that made me fall out of my seat. However, it did deliver on many levels. The comedy was sharp and although the ending was a little contrived it did manage to put a goofy smile on the face of a cynical teenager, IE moi. 'Baby Mama' is perfect chick fare, and I am disappointed in the cinemas who have cleared all their screens in preparation for the release of 'The Dark Knight'.
Poehler and Fey sparkled and were supported by an excellent cast; Steve Martin was odd, providing some light comedy, but it was Sigourney Weaver and Greg Kinnear (back on form and looking less haggard) whom i felt really carried the film in the absence of the two leads.
Baby Mama was refreshing and a great indication that we should see more of these two girls on the big screen.
4/5 Stars
okay
vendingrev-130 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
When I first saw the trailer for Baby Mama, I just thought this movie was going to be a total disaster, it didn't look funny and like another typical chick flick. But my friends wanted to see it, so we saw it opening weekend, and actually I was surprised, I did like a lot better than what I was expecting. Baby Mama is something that looks like from the Lifetime Network, but it's all good, it has some really funny moments and was just cute. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are two very funny women from Saturday Night Live, they also did Mean Girls together and made their characters an absolute joy to watch, so seeing them as the leads in this film was going to be an interesting turn. Tina Fey definitely has a lot of talent not only as a writer, but as an actress, she made her character believable and as neuritic as she was, she was still likable. Amy Poehler made her character a little too SNL at times, but these girls made the movie enjoyable and a fun flick to watch for the afternoon.
Kate is a single and successful woman who seems to have it all in life, but one thing she wants so bad is a baby. But one problem, her uterus isn't liked by her doctor, in other words, she has a one in a million chance of getting pregnant. After adoption woes and sperm donor failures, she decides to get a sergeant mother who will get pregnant and give her a child. She meets white trash couple, Angie and Carl. Angie moves into Kate's apartment after her break up with Carl, so this "odd couple" has to teach each other some new moves in life.
Baby Mama is actually worth the watch, I was very impressed with how much I liked it, like I said, from the trailer, it doesn't seem like a good movie, but when you watch it, you get the laughs and the smiles that the movie promises. It is a chick flick, warning to people who have a strong hatred for them, but I'm not a fan of chick flicks, and you know what? I thought that this was just a fun movie that if you let go and even enjoy the predictability, you'll find yourself loving Baby Mama.
Kate is a single and successful woman who seems to have it all in life, but one thing she wants so bad is a baby. But one problem, her uterus isn't liked by her doctor, in other words, she has a one in a million chance of getting pregnant. After adoption woes and sperm donor failures, she decides to get a sergeant mother who will get pregnant and give her a child. She meets white trash couple, Angie and Carl. Angie moves into Kate's apartment after her break up with Carl, so this "odd couple" has to teach each other some new moves in life.
Baby Mama is actually worth the watch, I was very impressed with how much I liked it, like I said, from the trailer, it doesn't seem like a good movie, but when you watch it, you get the laughs and the smiles that the movie promises. It is a chick flick, warning to people who have a strong hatred for them, but I'm not a fan of chick flicks, and you know what? I thought that this was just a fun movie that if you let go and even enjoy the predictability, you'll find yourself loving Baby Mama.
Bland
Calicodreamin3 July 2020
Some funny moments, but overwhelming mediocre. The storyline is fairly predictable and lacks real interest, same with the dialogue, a bit bland. Characters lack depth, and there's no real chemistry. It all feels very "Meh"
maybe, nice
Kirpianuscus1 January 2021
The good point - Romany Malco and his Oscar. The worst point - the final part. But, at first sigh, a nice, easy comedy with significant names in cast and with the so predictable end , against logic. So, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in the sauce of cliches.
That biological clock is ticking.
michaelRokeefe17 September 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Former Saturday Night Live gal-pals Tina Fey and Amy Poehler co-star in this hilarious celebration of motherhood. Kate(Fey)is a single, successful businesswoman, who finally hears that biological clock ticking...loudly. She's going to balance her career with hopes of having a baby. She finds that she is infertile, but that doesn't stop her from finding a South Philly working-class gal Angie(Poehler)to be her surrogate. Opposite as night and day, Kate and Angie almost succumb to their different lifestyles and thoughts on rearing a child. This by-the-book businesswoman almost has the free spirited surrogate transformed into the ideal expectant mother until a deal breaking truth needs to be told.
MAMA BABY does have its share of touching moments; but it is the hilarious tag team comedy of Fey and Poehler that has you on the verge of peeing your pants. There is a very strong supporting cast that includes: Greg Kinnear, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Martin, Holland Taylor and Dax Shepard.
MAMA BABY does have its share of touching moments; but it is the hilarious tag team comedy of Fey and Poehler that has you on the verge of peeing your pants. There is a very strong supporting cast that includes: Greg Kinnear, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Martin, Holland Taylor and Dax Shepard.
from a surrogate's point of view
cdcole_2726 April 2008
I was a gestational surrogate for my friends who could not carry on their own. I gave birth to their boy/girl twins in September of 2006.
I was let down by this movie in a lot of ways. It was truly a great comedy, but it didn't show the light hearted side of surrogacy I was hoping for.
I went into the theater wearing a proud surrogate tee shirt, and came out with my sweater zipped over it.
Surrogacy is something that is extremely controversial, and we needed a movie that showed the good side of it. It's so easy to imagine what can go wrong in a situation like that, but the truth is, it's NOTHING like that. It's a very beautiful, amazing thing, and I know that first hand.
They portrayed the surrogate as white trash. But I have a group of surrogates I've become very close to, and they are the most insightful, smart, caring women I've ever met. I've yet to meet a white trash surrogate. I've also yet to meet an intended mother who would enlist the help of someone who smokes, lives in a bad neighborhood, who's in an abusive relationship, etc... It simply doesn't happen like that.
For those of you questioning why she wouldn't just adopt...
The simple answer is what she said in the movie. It can take 5 years to place a child with a single woman, and she felt her biological clock was ticking. It had nothing to do with money. Yes, surrogacy is more expensive than adopting. ($100,000 is completely unrealistic, by the way...) Surrogacy is not a way of avoiding adoption. It's simply another option.
The more complicated answer is why would you care? Most people are blessed being able to have children. And nobody ever asks them why they didn't adopt. It's a very personal choice. And anyone who calls it stupid or pointless is simply uneducated and unsympathetic in matters of infertility.
I was let down by this movie in a lot of ways. It was truly a great comedy, but it didn't show the light hearted side of surrogacy I was hoping for.
I went into the theater wearing a proud surrogate tee shirt, and came out with my sweater zipped over it.
Surrogacy is something that is extremely controversial, and we needed a movie that showed the good side of it. It's so easy to imagine what can go wrong in a situation like that, but the truth is, it's NOTHING like that. It's a very beautiful, amazing thing, and I know that first hand.
They portrayed the surrogate as white trash. But I have a group of surrogates I've become very close to, and they are the most insightful, smart, caring women I've ever met. I've yet to meet a white trash surrogate. I've also yet to meet an intended mother who would enlist the help of someone who smokes, lives in a bad neighborhood, who's in an abusive relationship, etc... It simply doesn't happen like that.
For those of you questioning why she wouldn't just adopt...
The simple answer is what she said in the movie. It can take 5 years to place a child with a single woman, and she felt her biological clock was ticking. It had nothing to do with money. Yes, surrogacy is more expensive than adopting. ($100,000 is completely unrealistic, by the way...) Surrogacy is not a way of avoiding adoption. It's simply another option.
The more complicated answer is why would you care? Most people are blessed being able to have children. And nobody ever asks them why they didn't adopt. It's a very personal choice. And anyone who calls it stupid or pointless is simply uneducated and unsympathetic in matters of infertility.
Unfocused, yet amusing comedy
tex-4220 September 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Baby Mama has a number of cute moments rolled into what is ultimately a very unfocused, messy movie. The plot is very simple, Kate (Fey) is a career woman who desperately wants to have a baby. She finds that getting pregnant the usual way is nearly impossible, so she seeks out a surrogate, Angie (Poehler) through an agency. The movie basically follows the predictable, if still funny, "odd couple" formula.
Fey is very winning, and Poehler is a skilled comedian. Both do an excellent job of taking an average script and rising above it. Sigourney Weaver is amusing in a smaller part, Steve Martin also has some funny moments. Maura Tierney, Holland Taylor and Greg Kinnear are all given very little to do, and are wasted in their roles.
In short, this is a movie that was nice to rent, but left me wanting something more. The ending is kind of ridiculous, and feels out of place given the tone of the rest of the movie.
Fey is very winning, and Poehler is a skilled comedian. Both do an excellent job of taking an average script and rising above it. Sigourney Weaver is amusing in a smaller part, Steve Martin also has some funny moments. Maura Tierney, Holland Taylor and Greg Kinnear are all given very little to do, and are wasted in their roles.
In short, this is a movie that was nice to rent, but left me wanting something more. The ending is kind of ridiculous, and feels out of place given the tone of the rest of the movie.
Fun but not really funny
wpirotte10 April 2023
Every recombinant DNA group runs the risk of being monstrous or nonfunctional but we cannot accuse this show of failing so grandly. Still, the possibilities of Poehler and Fey were way underdeveloped. Usually their complex styles are perfectly complementary, but most of the movie attempts to cookie cutter each into a simplistic mold. Generally, the writing is poor, with even the most outrageous plot twists becoming easily predictable, to the point where you are waiting for it to happen instead of being surprised when it does. The two most interesting characters were the wise doorman and the insane ex common law husband of the surrogate. So, we are left with a question: when is "good-enough" actually a failure?
Waste of talent
thetruthwillsetyoufree25 April 2008
Amy Poehler is very funny and deserves far better than this weak, generic "comedy." Tina Fey is pretty much hot and cold, sometimes funny, but usually very annoying with her smug, self- satisfied delivery of every line. The movie's story is pretty well conveyed in the trailer and there aren't many surprises left beyond the predictable odd-couple set-up. Hell, even the poster tells you all you need to know about the plot. A lot of decent actors turn up in supporting roles, including many familiar faces from SNL, but NONE of them get big laughs or even make for a memorable scene. The last half-hour or so is completely laugh-free as it makes attempt to bring the two main characters closer together, and puts us to sleep in the process.
Baby Mama (2008)
mcr_8723 March 2009
Baby Mama (2008) A romantic comedy that is better than the majority you'll see. This had enough spunk, creativity and laughs to over come the inevitable predictability and stereotypical characters that this genre thrives upon. It was the chemistry between Tina Fay and Amy Poehler that really made this film and the same script in lesser hands could have fallen to the low levels of repetitive drivel that Drew Barrymore films usually make their home. Some of the characters were extremely one-dimensional, the redneck boyfriend of Amy Poehler and the kind-hearted smoothie-maker not withstanding but there were entertaining background characters as well. Steve Martin made me laugh a couple of times in this film, a feat he has failed to accomplish for many years, and Romany Malco was good as the bellboy with a heart of gold. Of course you saw the ending coming within the first half-hour, you'd seen a lot of the gags done before, but nevertheless it was still an entertaining way to spend a couple of hours. ******* 7/10.
Not Quite Groundbreaking, But Exceeds Expectations
polarimetric4 May 2008
Saturday Night Live, whether or not you consider it still funny, is going through a great period. Ratings are fairly high coming off of the writers' strike. The show is riding the Democratic nomination race wave pretty well, featuring either Clinton, Obama, or both in at least one sketch per episode. Due to their recent successes, it makes sense that SNL's comedians want to branch out into movies like they successfully did in the 90s with Wayne's World. Baby Mama serves as one of these movies, featuring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler at the helm and at least two more members from the SNL team in the background, namely Will Forte and Fred Armisen. Steve Martin, a frequent SNL host, can also be found in this movie. After reading the character list, it's clear where the SNL comparisons and references come from.
Considering its origins and its genre abroad, I went into the theater with relatively low expectations. At most, I hoped for a sort of feel-good comedy that had a lot of laugh scenes that made up for some corny drama scenes. I got the laugh scenes, but surprisingly, the drama scenes weren't very corny. Baby Mama, as can be determined from the title, deals with Kate Holbrook (Tina Fey's character), a powerful businesswoman and executive in an organic foods company and her burning desire to have a baby and build a family, regardless of the difficulties. Unlike most comedies, this is actually a surprisingly serious topic, which enhances the dramatic parts of the plot quite a bit. You can actually take the characters and the story line quite seriously. Actually, Kate's character is almost entirely serious, aside from the occasional jokes on how uptight and socially inept she can be. Most of the laughs come from Angie Ostrowiski (Amy Poehler's character), a not exactly high-class girl working for Chaffee Bicknell's (played by Sigourney Weaver) surrogacy agency that offers to be Kate's surrogate after Kate attempts and fails to get pregnant multiple times. As can be expected from Poehler, Angie is completely and totally ridiculous. Poehler is actually extremely good in this role, since she manages to play a "white trash" stereotypical character without coming off as corny, or at least most of the time.
Don't get me wrong; there are times when you can't help but cringe. A small portion of the humor is just far too corny, and can't make you laugh no matter how ready you are to laugh. However, anyone who watches Saturday Night Live is already used to this, since everyone knows that not every SNL skit is funny. Not by a long shot. However, the entire movie is irresistibly cute. The character development is fantastic, and Poehler and Fey working together really carries the entire movie. In fact, the men in the story are almost entirely irrelevant. Carl (played by Dax Shepard), Angie's low-class, tactless boyfriend, could have been much funnier than he actually is. Rob (played by Greg Kinnear), although a nice character and a nice addition, really only serves as an attractive male (and yes, he is very attractive in this movie) and someone to move the story along a little bit. Barry (played by Steve Martin), the president of the organic food company Kate works for, is an absolutely insane hippie that provides a lot of humor to the parts of the movie where Kate is at work. Five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact, anyone? (You'll get it when you watch the movie.)
At the end of the movie, you do really feel for the characters, or at least Angie and Kate. The other characters are sort of background even at the end, but they're still necessary, since there would be no offset to the Fey-Poehler humor that can just be taken in small doses to avoid becoming too corny to be enjoyable. I did find myself screaming on the inside a little at the end, because there's a gigantic time gap that left a lot of questions unanswered and irritated me quite a lot, but in reality, in order to fill out the entire story, this would either have to be a 3 hour movie, or there would have to be a sequel. This isn't the kind of movie to have a sequel, so I can see why they did it. I just think that some of the time that they wasted on Carl could have been used to develop that a little more.
Overall, Baby Mama is cute, and that's all I can see it ever trying for. It also seems to me to test the waters a little bit for a Fey and Poehler match-up that, when smoothed out a little around the edges, will be a very strong comedy duo. I did enjoy this film very much, and I would highly recommend it to someone who watches SNL frequently and likes Poehler's style of humor, or someone who just wants to go to the movies to have fun and feel good. It's certainly worth it. However, what I find more significant at the moment is my excitement for films in the future that will feature Fey and Poehler, and I truly hope that the film industry doesn't miss out on this potentially hilarious team. I'll be eagerly awaiting the day when I see them working together again - this is a first time, and it can only get better from here.
Considering its origins and its genre abroad, I went into the theater with relatively low expectations. At most, I hoped for a sort of feel-good comedy that had a lot of laugh scenes that made up for some corny drama scenes. I got the laugh scenes, but surprisingly, the drama scenes weren't very corny. Baby Mama, as can be determined from the title, deals with Kate Holbrook (Tina Fey's character), a powerful businesswoman and executive in an organic foods company and her burning desire to have a baby and build a family, regardless of the difficulties. Unlike most comedies, this is actually a surprisingly serious topic, which enhances the dramatic parts of the plot quite a bit. You can actually take the characters and the story line quite seriously. Actually, Kate's character is almost entirely serious, aside from the occasional jokes on how uptight and socially inept she can be. Most of the laughs come from Angie Ostrowiski (Amy Poehler's character), a not exactly high-class girl working for Chaffee Bicknell's (played by Sigourney Weaver) surrogacy agency that offers to be Kate's surrogate after Kate attempts and fails to get pregnant multiple times. As can be expected from Poehler, Angie is completely and totally ridiculous. Poehler is actually extremely good in this role, since she manages to play a "white trash" stereotypical character without coming off as corny, or at least most of the time.
Don't get me wrong; there are times when you can't help but cringe. A small portion of the humor is just far too corny, and can't make you laugh no matter how ready you are to laugh. However, anyone who watches Saturday Night Live is already used to this, since everyone knows that not every SNL skit is funny. Not by a long shot. However, the entire movie is irresistibly cute. The character development is fantastic, and Poehler and Fey working together really carries the entire movie. In fact, the men in the story are almost entirely irrelevant. Carl (played by Dax Shepard), Angie's low-class, tactless boyfriend, could have been much funnier than he actually is. Rob (played by Greg Kinnear), although a nice character and a nice addition, really only serves as an attractive male (and yes, he is very attractive in this movie) and someone to move the story along a little bit. Barry (played by Steve Martin), the president of the organic food company Kate works for, is an absolutely insane hippie that provides a lot of humor to the parts of the movie where Kate is at work. Five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact, anyone? (You'll get it when you watch the movie.)
At the end of the movie, you do really feel for the characters, or at least Angie and Kate. The other characters are sort of background even at the end, but they're still necessary, since there would be no offset to the Fey-Poehler humor that can just be taken in small doses to avoid becoming too corny to be enjoyable. I did find myself screaming on the inside a little at the end, because there's a gigantic time gap that left a lot of questions unanswered and irritated me quite a lot, but in reality, in order to fill out the entire story, this would either have to be a 3 hour movie, or there would have to be a sequel. This isn't the kind of movie to have a sequel, so I can see why they did it. I just think that some of the time that they wasted on Carl could have been used to develop that a little more.
Overall, Baby Mama is cute, and that's all I can see it ever trying for. It also seems to me to test the waters a little bit for a Fey and Poehler match-up that, when smoothed out a little around the edges, will be a very strong comedy duo. I did enjoy this film very much, and I would highly recommend it to someone who watches SNL frequently and likes Poehler's style of humor, or someone who just wants to go to the movies to have fun and feel good. It's certainly worth it. However, what I find more significant at the moment is my excitement for films in the future that will feature Fey and Poehler, and I truly hope that the film industry doesn't miss out on this potentially hilarious team. I'll be eagerly awaiting the day when I see them working together again - this is a first time, and it can only get better from here.
Was actually pretty decent....
shellytwade12 December 2021
I didn't think this movie would be too amazing but was pleasantly surprised. The comedy is pretty consistent and the story line is pretty poignant. This isn't the type of movie that is going to change your life but it will pass the time perfectly for a solid evening watch.
Mildly Funny... Not Terrible
heffay11127 April 2008
This is not a terrible movie. It really isn't. It makes you laugh a few times, it's relatively pleasant, and Steve Martin does some comedy which reminds you that he's a genius.
Fifteen minutes into this movie, I leaned over to my wife and whispered, "Five bucks says this is a first time director." I come home, look up IMDb, and... if only she'd taken the be I'd be buying myself some candy with my Lincoln..
You really feel while watching it that the performances and script are both better than the finished product. Most of the camera work is tight like a television show, not a movie. A lot of the blocking is awkward, and you get the feeling that everyone is just a little uncomfortable. It's entirely possible that the movie would have been more enjoyable with a better director, but everyone had to start somewhere.
I feel very badly for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, as both seem to struggle a bit with the material. You can see them having the urge to improvise and do more. And you wish that they had done more, because it's a shame to spend $10 to be mildly amused.
Fifteen minutes into this movie, I leaned over to my wife and whispered, "Five bucks says this is a first time director." I come home, look up IMDb, and... if only she'd taken the be I'd be buying myself some candy with my Lincoln..
You really feel while watching it that the performances and script are both better than the finished product. Most of the camera work is tight like a television show, not a movie. A lot of the blocking is awkward, and you get the feeling that everyone is just a little uncomfortable. It's entirely possible that the movie would have been more enjoyable with a better director, but everyone had to start somewhere.
I feel very badly for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, as both seem to struggle a bit with the material. You can see them having the urge to improvise and do more. And you wish that they had done more, because it's a shame to spend $10 to be mildly amused.
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