A movie review: Life As We Know It

Yay! After a couple of misses, Katherine Heigl has a hit on her hands! "Life As We Know It" is definitely a win in my book.

Yes, it's predictable, as most rom-coms are these days, but it was much better than I had expected. I like to think casting Heigl opposite Josh Duhamel had something to do with it, as did the oh-so-adorable triplets that played the baby in the film, and a funny group of supporting players.

The premise of the movie: Holly (Heigl) and Messer (Duhamel) are best friends to a married couple, as well as godparents to their infant daughter. The two send clever quips back and forth at family occasions, make jokes at each others' expense, and instigate trouble whenever the other is around. Tragically, their best friends and parents to the baby girl die in a car accident, leaving little Sophie to be raised by Holly and Messer. Insert all the comedy you can imagine from two people that appear to despise each other forced to live together and raise a child together.

I think what makes this movie good is the chemistry between Heigl and Duhamel. I don't know why it took so long to find a suitable acting partner for Miss Katie, but the casting directors on this one nailed it. Unlike the communication major that I am I wasn't paying attention to who did the casting. I bet I could IMDb it if I put a little effort in to my review. It is also a reflection of the grief and stress and frustration of the situation for these two adults. They are challenged to take care of a baby and live together in a matter of minutes, and the movie follows them on their path to building a relationship and learning how to be a family and how they continue with their lives after the tragedy of losing their best friends.

The supporting cast was also pretty entertaining. You see them on TV and in other movies and think, wow this person is funny, but you don't ever know his or her name. For example, the woman that played Loralei's best friend on Gilmore Girls, she was in it. And a few other familiar faces, but even know I'm having a hard time placing them in the other TV show or movie I remember seeing them in. The neighbors who comment on the steamy sexiness of Messer and the sadness that is Holly who bakes but has no ring on it. The neurotic social worker that comes to visit at the most inconvenient times. The taxi driver/baby sitter (enough said).

Listen, the movie is not Oscar quality; I don't know of one rom-com in the last year or two that would qualify in that category. It is entertaining. It is funny - I snorted a couple of times and the man next to me gave me a strange look. And there were tears because it's very sad when a child is left without both parents. But if you are looking for a movie to enjoy on these cold days of autumn I recommend "Life As We Know It."