Life as We Know It (2010) User Reviews

Well Done and Actually Funny

[bob-rutzel-1 · 7/10 · 6 March 2011]

After their first date Holly Berenson(Heigl) and Eric Messer (Duhamel) don't like each other. They have friends in common and those friends die in a car accident and leave their daughter, Sophie, to both Holly and Eric (call him Messer) who are the God-Parents. Now, the games begin

This will start off sad, then it will be okay and funny in many places, and then later on a little sad again; then surprise, surprise, okay again. You were looking for a happy ending, weren't you? I thought so, but it takes some doing to get there. It's all in the telling. And, this is told quite well. And, to have Josh Duhmel and Katherine Heigl portray the God-Parents, well it just doesn't get any better. I think they are terrific actors and their chemistry was excellent.

I said the sad thing because it is sad and tragic when friends die and then leave a 1-yr old baby with others. And, like it or not, I am sure things like this have happened. Maybe the title should have been LIFE AS IT CAN HAPPEN.

So Holly and Eric (wants to be called Messer) are thrown into instant parenthood and go through those trials and tribulations just as if they were married and had their own kid. Well, almost. Many parents will see themselves in here.

As far as the comedy goes, it was very good and I got a lot of laughs throughout starting with the first diaper change. Yes, that's always a good starter duty for new parents. The audience patiently waits for that one.

Violence: No. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Not really, but Heigl does mouth an F-bomb. You don't hear it and she turns away quickly so you don't see all.

Pleasant Romance

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 20 March 2011]

In Atlanta, Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl) is the best friend of Allison (Christina Hendricks) and Peter Novak (Hayes MacArthur). She is single and has just called off a three-year relationship and professionally she runs a bakery, is very well-organized and plans to upgrade her business to a restaurant. When her friends schedule a blind date with Peter's best friend, TV sports director Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel), their encounter is a flop and Holly hates the reckless womanizer Messer. However, when Allison and Peter have a fatal car accident, the godparents Holly and Messer learn by the lawyer that they have been named the legal guardians of Peter and Allison's baby, Sophie, and have inherited their large house to raise the girl. Having in common only their love for Sophie, Holly and Messer have their lives turned upside-down and need to support each other to keep the girl with them and honor the wishes of their best friends.

"Life as We Know It" is a pleasant romance, despite the tragedy and predictability of the story. I usually like the films of the gorgeous Katherine Heigl and the practically unknown Josh Duhamel is hilarious in the role of a wolf. Their chemistry is awesome, but the babies Alexis, Brynn and Brooke Clagett steal the movie. I believe that everybody that is experienced father or mother will recall their first experiences as parents and will love the troubles of Holly and Messer. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Juntos Pelo Acaso" ("Together by Chance")

Know this, romantic comedy fans.....this is a wonderful new view

[inkblot11 · 7/10 · 11 November 2010]

Holly (Katherine Heigl) and Eric, known by his last name, Messer (Josh Duhamel) were once set up by close married friends, wife Alison (Christina Hendricks) and hubby Peter (Hayes MacArthur). The date lasted all of five minutes, as each took an instant dislike to one another and rang the gong. However, they have had to see each other over the last few years, at parties and gatherings thrown by the wedded couple. More so now that the A and P have a little girl named Sophie. A self-described "control freak", Holly owns a gourmet food shop called Fraiche, in the Atlanta area, where she has grown interested in a frequent customer, Dr. Sam (Josh Lucas). For his part, Messer works in sports television, operating cameras for the Hawks basketball franchise and he has a new girlfriend every five minutes. Into this setting comes a shock. Alison and Peter tragically die in an automobile crash and, unbelievably, leave custody of Sophie to their unmarried pals, Holly and Messer. After the tears and agony, the we-loathe-each-other couple realize that they must move into their friends' large home and learn how to take care of their new daughter, with civility. But, as both are practicing "on the job parenting", they still have quite a few arguments and upsets. Juggling jobs and babies is a tough job, they quickly concede. Could it also be that, despite Dr. Sam's growing presence and Messer's frequent galpals, that Holly and Messer will actually grow to like each other? Maybe! This is a lovely new entry into the world of romantic comedies, for all of the genre's dedicated fans. Despite the tried and true theme of mismatched, argumentative folks falling in love, the movie has a few new twists, as a result of the adorable baby. Heigl and Duhamel are perfectly wonderful as the main couple, although both are such pros in this type of film that they should probably try to "branch out" in their next projects or be stuck in this kind of thing forever. The supporting cast is also very fine, as are the settings, costumes, and camera work. Add on the zesty direction and polished, humorous storyline and a winning flick emerges. Therefore, Hollywood, please send us more movies like this one, and fans, take time out from life's more mundane practices and make plans for a view.

Fun, as we know it

[Gordon-11 · 29 January 2011]

This film is about two people who got set up by their friends, but the date dis not go well at all. Their friend died unexpectedly, and they have to care for their friend's child.

"Life as We Know It" is fun to watch. It's a formulaic romantic comedy in the sense that you know what will happen in the end, but still it is not so formulaic as it has there are lots of elements which are not usually in romantic comedies. It is not usual for romantic comedies to incorporate the frustration of child care, for example. The two leads are charming, believable and goes well together. The social worker is very funny too, but if she really acted like that in real life, she would not have been so professional!

decent entertaining film

[MatthewLong23 · 7/10 · 17 October 2010]

This movie was actually a lot better then I thought it would be. It has a lot of heart and humour in it, from what would be a horrible situation to be in. It tells the story about Holly and Messer, who meet in 2007 on a blind date and it goes horribly wrong. They are both great friends of the couple who set them up and always seem to see each other through their friends events. When they find out their friends have passed away in a car accident, they are told that their friends wanted them to take care of the baby if anything were to happen to them. This is a shock to them but they decide to live together in their old house, so that they grant the wishes of their friends. Throughout the movie you see them, trying to raise the baby with often very funny results. It's a very sad premise but the humour does not make this movie depressing. I am curious to see if anything like this would happen in real life, with 2 friends who do not know each other well would raise a baby together for the sake of the child. Katherine Heigl plays a typical role here, of an overstressed woman who is unlucky in love and Josh Duhamel plays a guy with no responsibilities who ends up growing up in the end. Overall a fun movie to watch and will probably make you cry a bit

Utterly utterly formulaic

[neil-476 · 6/10 · 14 October 2010]

Sometimes a spoiler warning is just a precaution: on this occasion I shall be revealing plot developments ie. it is a real spoiler warning.

There is a fairly standard template for the romantic comedy: we are introduced to a couple who appear to be chalk and cheese although we have an inkling that they are ideally suited to each other: they are thrown together by virtue of a maguffin: in the course of resolving the maguffin they discover love for each other: a last minute plot wrinkle drives them apart: various manoeuverings bring them back together, albeit not without an element of panic.

Life As We Know It fits this template perfectly. Holly (Katherine Heigl) is an ambitious, focused patisserie owner who dislikes Messer (Josh Duhamel), a hedonistic, laid back TV sports assistant director. They are godparents to Sophie, the baby daughter of their friends Allison and Peter. The maguffin is that when Allison and Peter are killed in a car accident, they find themselves guardians of Sophie and romance duly ensues. Messer is offered a dream job in another city and this drives them apart, but they get back together in the end.

The thing is, they shouldn't have got back together. Messer accepting the job was absolutely right for him, and Holly taking up with nice, handsome paediatrician Sam (Josh Lucas), who she had fancied since before the maguffin (and vice versa) was exactly right for her. I would have respected this film more if it had gone with something realistic and credible instead of the trite formula.

Katherine Heigl can play parts like this in her sleep, and it comes as no surprise to find her doing so here (and perhaps it is plot relevant too!). She is as gorgeous as ever, but completely forgets to be sexy. I am familiar with Josh Duhamel's name, but the only time I have seen his face is on the front of Johnny Knoxville's head - the resemblance is so strong that I was expecting something to whack him in the testicles at any moment. And the plot demanded that they have no chemistry for at least the first half of the movie, and they didn't. Then the plot demanded that they should have chemistry, but they still didn't.

I must say that the short section dealing with the deaths of Allison and Peter was dealt with well. But most of the laughs were obvious stuff, smelly diapers and the like.

Better than your average Rom Com

[triganomix · 7/10 · 1 June 2011]

So here we go again, another Rom Com with an inevitable ending and a script written by a group of 'last year Drama students'.

I must admit when my wife picked this film up I thought I would have to endure the usual trivial dross as with other films of the same genre.

However within the first 20 minutes I found myself drawn to the two leading characters in a way I normally wouldn't for this type of film. In fact, this is far from a light hearted and cuddly comedy we have all come to expect. The film carries a serious yet subtle undertone throughout about two people and the measure of their loyalty to themselves and their friends.

There are some laugh out loud moments and even a few tear jerkers. Don't get me wrong this film is not flawless but if it is a quiet night in with a bottle of wine they don't come much better than this.

A plausible script with strong performances from Heigl and Duhamel.

Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel have great chemistry

[disdressed12 · 7/10 · 3 May 2011]

as far as romantic comedies go this one wasn't too bad.i chuckled here and there,and there's one scene which i found hysterical.there are some dramatic moments that also work well.the two leads,Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel have great chemistry and are both convincing in their roles.i thought the premise was an interesting and original one.the situations that arose came off as being realistic and could probably happen in reality.the movie has it's predictable moments,but because the characters are likable,believable and sympathetic,that didn't matter all that much.both Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel showed they have some range during the more serious moments of the film,and both are good at the comedic bits as well.for me,Life as We Know It is a 7/10

These reviewers are WAY too harsh, this is a quite enjoyable film

[socrates99 · 8/10 · 30 October 2010]

My wife's choice of film made me miss "The Town" and "The Social Network" which I preferred, but I'm not regretting this night. As a mere film lover, I have no idea how the two leads managed to make this script believable, but they did. Katherine Heigl is a known, reliable entity who's graced many a movie, but the real discovery for me was Josh Duhamel who conveyed all of his feelings to me, another guy, extremely well in situations I've never really encountered, perhaps better and more agreeably than any other male lead I can think of. Now I'm not sure why. The guy's quite a bit more handsome than me and everything's done with a light touch, but somehow, he's effective and simultaneously non- threatening, if that's the word.

Anyway, this film is far from perfect, but what it's attempting to explore is a bit mind boggling. How would two people who initially dislike each other find enough common ground to come together in the best interests of a child? You won't find a 'how to' here, but all the small moves and incidents rang true to me, and the result in the end, seems quite plausible to me, at least. Things happen when two people get thrown together like this and I doubt you'll have it illustrated more enjoyably than this any time soon.

Good laugh, Decent Story **Some Spoiler***

[UkCad89 · 7/10 · 15 October 2010]

I went to this movie expecting to have a laugh, and you know what thats exactly what it gave my friend and I. I don't know why so many people are bashing the movie. I thought the story was decent enough to keep me engrossed in the movie the whole time. The ending was kind of corny but hey thats bound to happen with a movie like this.

I like the characters and how the movie developed through out and felt like I got my moneys worth, so hey I have no complaints. I really liked Josh Duhamels role in the film, the guy was such a goof,and an ass for most of the movie. I kind of saw myself in him minus the part about being a total idiot. Katherine Heigl is smoking and I liked her character to in this movie.

The relationship between the two of them was kind of believable and not over the top. I think it was very typical when she chased him to the airport at the end and then he was at her house once she got back. I predicted this was going to happen which kind of tells you they could have made the climax in this movie a bit better.

Life as We Know It is an okay rom-com/drama if you're in the mood

[tavm · 5/10 · 27 June 2011]

Okay, so Life as We Know It is a rom-com with some drama thrown in as it concerns two people on a blind date that turns disastrous the moment they meet but they can't get away from each other since each is a friend of one of a married couple that just had a baby. And then that married couple is killed in a car accident with the will revealing that the mismatched friends are their baby's new caregivers. I'll just stop there and just say that while I didn't think this movie was all that funny, and I didn't completely believe their falling in love when they did, I did appreciate that the movie did put some realism concerning the complications of raising a baby, financial duties concerning the house, and how jobs that take you away from your loved ones can affect lives. At least the characters aren't close to being one-dimensional like I feared so that's a plus. So on that note, Life as We Know It is worth a look if you're interested.

Was prepared to not like this, but...

[jimpowellsf · 8/10 · 14 August 2011]

OK, so perhaps it's a bit formulaic. But getting through the process was unexpected. A very sweet story line, and some clunky transitions; however, the ultimate feel was very sweet and pulled at the heart strings. Life isn't simple, doesn't always go as expected, and requires a bit of effort. This film seemed to capture a wide variety of experiences and faced them with poignancy and humor.

I truly was expecting it to be all fluff, or very silly, and I didn't expect the film to tell the story as well as it did. Insight into different families, good times, bad times, and the mundane. No huge laugh out loud moments, but definitely some chuckles. I'm glad I gave it a shot. Give it a try sometime, and you just might be surprised, too.

Moview Review: Life As We Know It - A Pleasant Romantic Comedy

[mdtscoates · 7/10 · 30 September 2010]

Humorous, contemplative, heart-felt, enjoyable, and tugs a little at your heart strings. These are the words I would use to describe Life As We Know It, a new romantic comedy starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel. The story is about 2 friends of a married couple that inherit their baby girl when they die in a tragic car accident shortly after the baby's first birthday.

Although the movie storyline and ending are predictable, I felt myself getting caught up in the characters and story in spite of the predictability. I was thoroughly entertained during the movie, from the beginning set up of the main characters mutual disdain for each other through the end where we witness the completed circle of their roller coaster year at the little girl's second birthday.

Of course we have the typical very attractive lead characters, chef/cafe owner Holly Berenson (Heigl) and sports TV technician Eric Messer (Duhamel). They had great chemistry together, and were able to pull off their scenes well. Holly's love interest Dr. Sam (Josh Lucas) brings the typical complication to the romantic comedy genre, and of course the audience thinks he is a great guy, but we're always rooting for the unlikely outcome that perhaps doesn't have much basis in reality.

Minor characters of the nosy friendly neighbor, a gay couple raising a child, the Child Protective Services worker and a couple of others bring some fresh humor to the mix, keeping the lead characters, as well as the audience on their toes.

A truly memorable moment at this Tempe screening, was when I and the entire audience couldn't help but laugh when they put up a picture of Phoenix that was obviously a cut and paste job of several notable parts of the area, next to a sign saying "Phoenix, Downtown" just to make sure we knew where it was supposed to be! There are plenty of memorable moments including the new guardians trying to get the baby to eat the homemade organic food of the professional chef, the toddler's first steps, and the realistic arguments. And a couple great quotes like, "She's making the poop face", "Yes honey, I'm your mommy", and my personal favorite, "Having somebody help you doesn't mean you failed, it just means you're not in it alone." Movie was about 2 hours, which seemed a bit long for a comedy, but I was entertained enough to not notice the time.

I give it 7/10 stars

You and your better half will be getting your money's worth

[Brandon_Walker_Robinson · 5/10 · 6 October 2010]

This was a good combination of a movie which contained clichéd plot structure but strayed away from being too run-of-the mill for this kind of film. In other words, it got to the places that you would expect but it took a different route than you might expect. Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl were good eye candy throughout the movie, and the baby (like most) was absolutely adorable. The filming schedule must have been pretty spread out to let her grow probably as much as a year older (progressively), as the film itself jumps through its seasons similar to how Juno did. In fact, one thing really annoyed about this and I'm going to throw it out there right now... we all know that the NBA doesn't run through the summer, so why does this movie show the NBA running through the summer? I know there are summer leagues but this wasn't that. Anyway, just irritated me a bit.

There were many characters in this movie that had to help with the story's stability, but they were also in there for the minute giggles and frankly I could have done without most of them. Like I said with "cliché" moments, if you've seen one movie with these characters you've seen them all. Josh Lucas was the only person with a half-decent supporting role IMO.

This movie was somewhat divided; I don't mean this just in the sense that things start to go well then they don't then they kind of do again, but I mean in terms of focus. The first half is very baby-centric, and the latter half pertains a lot more to Duhamel and Heigl, where the baby is obviously used as a device to connect and/or separate the two. Said first half is what I really loved about the movie as I just love babies and it dealt more with internal resolutions, but it was cute enough to keep me interested anyway.

This movie works well with a female crowd, and it would help if you brought just one more along with you. Bring your wife, girlfriend, date... whoever if you plan on seeing it. For what it's worth, I enjoyed it with my company. The 6 out of 10 is almost as much as you can get out of me with this kind of movie. In all seriousness, a 6 is good... a 2 obviously is not, and this movie is not a 2. On a final side note, I love how Pearl Jam got a song in this movie. Haven't heard them in one since Eddie Vedder's original soundtrack in Into the Wild.

Life As We Know it is Their Terms of Endearment ****

[edwagreen · 21 August 2011]

Superb film, a comedy that soon turns quite tragic. A couple that can't stand each other, becomes parents to the baby of their friends, when the latter die in a car accident.

Although we know where this is heading to, it's a heartwarming story as we see how their lives are affected by having this child.

Life is literally turned upside down for the couple. We know that they will invariably fall in love, but the road to that is complicated, especially when our young lady falls in love with the divorced pediatrician.

Was this tragedy a set-up what was meant to be? How can you adjust your life to such adversity? These are the questions that are asked in this wonderful picture.

That many clichés in a movie must be a record.

[JohnRayPeterson · 7/10 · 17 May 2011]

The movie may be defined as a romantic comedy but it is not really funny nor do I believe it was meant to be; it is a romance, or light drama as I prefer to think of it. It has all the expected clichés and the predictable situations the storyline would have you conjure up. Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel do as good a job as the script allows; I'd say they save the movie from doing much more poorly ratings wise.

If you read the storyline or synopsis and think this a movie you'd like to see, then you won't be disappointed, as long as you remember it is a light romantic drama, because I don't think much more could be done with this story. It would be a mistake to try to make it funnier; the subject matter does not lend itself too well for a comedy. Many reviews mention how nice a couple the Heigl and Duhamel make so I won't dwell on that other than agree. The rating on IMDb is the most even and consistent I've seen; it's spooky how little margin there is between high and low votes. I liked it and give it the average rating no less.

As you'd expect, all the funny parts are in the trailers, that's it.

Decent romantic comedy

[mattkratz · 7/10 · 4 April 2019]

A couple gets set up by mutual friends on a blind date that turns into a disaster. They can't stand each other. A few years later, they become guardians to the friends' baby when the friends are killed in a car accident. They somehow manage to live together. It's not too bad a movie with a cast that works well together, especially the leads, with an ok story that could have been executed better.

** out of ****

Average Comedy Rehashed From Other Better Films

[eric262003 · 7/10 · 6 November 2016]

When I first purchased the DVD of "Life as We Know It", I was very turned-off by the sleeve of the cover. The photo shows Josh Duhamel standing straight up with a baby sporting colour-coordinated diapers and are in a similar stance slurping bottles towards their mouths while Katherine Heigl gives chase towards them. But then I had a change of heart when you learn that you can't judge a book by its cover alone, so i thought I'll give it a whirl.

Sure when parents want to raise kids, they understand the positions they put themselves into and know the sacrifices and consequences they they must must face and the loving and nurturing they must provide in order to ensure their kids live a happy and caring life. Socialization will have to be minimal, assistance from extended family members and friends would be beneficial, and that setting good examples are the essential tools for raising a child. But what happens when a child is raised by unexpected parents who have never raised kids before or ever had any intentions until now? "Life As we Know It" is about a couple who now have to take the initiative of raising a baby unexpectedly and the trials and tribulations that come with the little package of joy.

After the death of baby Sophie Novak's parents (Hayes MacArthur and Christina Hendricks), godparents Holly Berenson and Eric Messer (Heigl and Duhamel) have to step up to take the difficult task to raising Sophie (triplets Alexis, Brooke and Brynn Clagett) while trying to co- exist after their blind date goes bad which resulted in one can't standing each others. They never expected such events to happen as they had to hold aside their plans and their respected career agendas to raising this child which turns their life in circles.

This may come across as a standard romantic comedy, but in this one there is a bit of a twist where two polar opposites struggle to raise a child while also fighting to set their differences aside. The love of a child can bring two people together or at best strive to inject positive vibes while providing essential support so that the child can live a happy and fulfilled life knowing there's people out there that love her. Though the comedy stems from the hardships of Holly and Eric raising little Sophie, the other comical idiosyncrasies stem from the legal processes, the overwhelming house mortgages and further career plans getting pushed aside.

Performance wise, Katherine Heigl is still continuing her type- casted roles in her bubble as she once again is seen portraying hyper self-absorbed control freak domineering female characters towards their handsome costars. The key component to making romantic comedies sell is we have to have leading character ooze with some likability towards their characters. The script by Ian Deitchman and Kristin Rusk Robinson makes no denial that by having Duhamel as the leading male character, his charismatic manliness will surely make anyone's heart melt.

The character that really makes your heart melt has to go to little Sophie played the by the Clagett trips. Every time they fill up the screen around them, the filmmakers know the right lighting and camera focuses to make you just say "Ahhh". It's hard to get children to act a certain way on screen, but director Greg Berlanti and company magically gives us that right amount of cuteness so that our leading stars have a legitimate reason to put every plan on hold to nurture this child.

Sure this movie is formulaic with the familiar characters we've seen in this genre, "Life as We Know It" is a nice little comedy that is not memorable, but a fun film to watch on a rainy day. It's a quite innocent with subtle funny moments, though nothing really special. It makes you think hard if you're put in a rapid situation where responsibilities have become more mandatory than one could anticipate. Though I don't think Radiohead's "Creep" is a perfect choice for a lullaby.

Standard Formula Rom-Com

[stan-71 · 6/10 · 8 December 2011]

There was surprisingly little of the baby in the movie. In fact I think almost every scene with the baby was in the trailer, certainly least all the funny ones. The rest of the movie is a standard "hate each other at the beginning" romantic comedy, the kind Ms. Heigl always seems to end up in. Do I need a spoiler tag to say, you can guess where it's going to end up?

There were definitely funny moments that weren't all in the trailer, so overall, it was a fun movie to watch. My wife was crying at the end so it succeeded on that front. The "neighbor" characters were a little grating, but the social worker character was my favorite. Overall, a decent enough 90 minutes of my life.

Very Real for a romantic-comedy

[valerieschechter · 8/10 · 9 October 2010]

I am not a great fan of romantic comedies because, honestly, they all seem the same. This one proved me wrong! I actually laughed (unexpected) and even cried (really unexpected) during this movie. There is great chemistry between all the cast members . The premise that the story is based on is presented as very believable. I found myself immersed in the possibility of this happening in real life, not just reel life! I think the director brought out the best in the actors. Katie Heigl has more depth as an actor than I gave her credit for. Josh Duhmel proves to be more than just a pretty face. I really loved this movie and was so glad I went to see it!

Utterly Predictable But Good

[Rodrigo_Amaro · 7/10 · 3 April 2011]

There must be a magnet between me and this type of comedies that we cannot live without each other, and once in a while I need to see something that I know how it's gonna be, how it's gonna end, because 1) those flicks are easy to predict and 2) sometimes, we reach for a desire that something or someone will surprise us in colorful comedies like this. Well, "Life As We Know It" (suggestive title for what I just said) moved just in the way I thought it would move for good and bad. The result as a whole is a nice film with a charming couple as lead actors.

It goes to tell us the story of Eric (Josh Duhamel) and Holly (Katherine Heigl), two people with nothing in common united by their friends who made a surprising bond that they should raise their orphaned baby in case of their death, which eventually happens. Now, these two workaholic figures with different lifestyles and way of thinking will join forces and lots of scream against each other trying to raise a baby, something they never did in their lives.

Now comes the part where you can see how predictable this film gets. Did the main couple hate each other so much and the way we see that is throughout some funny lines and almost hilarious moments? Check! Some of them will find a nice partner to be romantically involved with? Check! While raising the baby lots of gross humor, a crying baby all the time will be part of this flick? Check! After spending so much time with the kid and with each other Holly and Eric finally will fall in love? Check! And then comes the time when they break up, and the movie seems like "Speed" in the part where the bus has come to the end of the road and something impossible (but totally predictable) will happen to them? Check! So, if you like all of this fore-mentioned things this movie is for you!

But why this film works and doesn't work? It works because Duhamel and Heigl have an amazing chemistry despite some bad jokes here and there, both in drama and in comedy scenes; the story goes okay and has things we can all enjoy if we're not too much demanding. But it doesn't work in a few levels while being very funny before the tragic event that changes everyones lives, there was some weak things that seemed unnoticed by the writers (e.g. Eric and Holly hate each other, their friends just died and he still acts cold towards her? Unexcusable!); the social worker who meets with them was created for comical purposes and it backfired badly, since she was too much goofy, annoying, and the writers while insisting in being serious at points could have make of this character the serious weight of the film, something to really balance the well humored film. At last, the ending could have been so much better if they picked the less expected one and the more realistic, I would say! Not to mention, that the subject received better and funnier treatment in pictures like "Baby Boom" and "Raising Helen".

If the movie gets into a more dramatic level at many times, the comedy helps a little when these two are trying to do whatever to make the baby sleep or get calm (and that includes improvising a funny song or sings Radiohead's 'Creep' to make her sleep), a taxi driver (Faizon Love) friend of Eric hired as nanny while he's at work, and some nice moments between Holly and a doctor (Josh Lucas) that becomes her love interest. And of course, a bunch of scenes with the couple hanging out with their other friends all married, few good things about it.

Clichés after clichés but somehow it manages to be a good entertaining film with some positive things. 7/10

I've seen this before also.

[road121 · 3/10 · 13 October 2010]

OK, Monday morning in the studio board room. The team is present.

"Good morning people. lets make some money. What have we got?" "I saw a movie on TV this weekend that I really liked called "Raising Waylon"." "Tell me more."

"Well, It was made is 2004, had really likable characters, a good story line and it made me feel good about the world. I think a remake could generate some income." "I don't know. The money makers these days are the "hell, fire and brimstone movies"." "Yes, but I think that's why we can make some money. This would provide the audience an alternative." "What about costs?" "I believe it would not be too costly to produce." We can just change the characters and modify the story line a bit. We can also sign some popular talent who draw an audience. The profit margin could be sizable." "What do you think the title should be?" "How about, "LIfe as We Know It"?" " OK, let's check this out. Get it ready for a focus group evaluation. You just may have something."

This review may be more of a protest against an apparent lack of creativity in Hollywood. Remakes are becoming much too frequent. The point is that I'm looking for more originality for my entertainment dollar. Don't count on me to buy tickets for this one. I'll watch "Raising Waylon" again. Check it out at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0400762/

Becoming A Family

[jon.h.ochiai · 9/10 · 10 October 2010]

"Life as We Know It" is predictable. Not breaking news. 3 years ago Josh Duhamel as Messer and Katherine Heigl as Holly have a set up date by their best friends Peter and Alison (Hayes MacArthur and Christina Hendricks) that terminates in Holly's Smart Car. Holly despises Messer way too much. Life happens and tragedy unfolds. Peter and Alison die in a car accident. In their will, unbeknownst to Messer and Holly, the Novaks' name them as legal guardians to their 1 year-old daughter Sophie. Reluctantly, Messer and Holly agree to move into the Novaks' house, and raise Sophie until they can figure this out. Did Alison and Peter know something that Holly and Messer were clueless to? Do they fall in love, and transform into loving parents?

Come on, we're smart and have seen our share of romantic comedies. Narrative surprise is not the strong suit of Ian Deitchman and Kristin Rusk Robinson's screenplay. In spite of all this, "Life as We Know It" is touching romantic comedy. Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel are awesome, and have a natural chemistry. Deitchman and Robinson's story strongly evolves. Director Greg Berlanti expertly orchestrates the right tone. Although, "Life" is romantic comedy, the set up is heart wrenching tragedy. The future of orphaned Sophie (played by Brooke and Kiley Liddell) hangs in the balance of whether Heigl and Duhamel can get over themselves. Heigl has a charming vulnerability and authenticity as Holly, who has dreams of expanding her bakeshop and dearly misses Alison, her personal rock. Duhamel is a nice surprise. He casually inhabits Messer, the Player who really has a big heart, by the numbers. However, Duhamel never overplays, embodying humanity and humor. With Duhamel we cheer for Messer's transformation. At the story arc, he confesses to Heigl, "Together… Somehow we're a family."

At times we're smarter than the screenplay. From the beginning we see through Messer's jerk facade, and distinguish the good man that he is and great guy he can be. Holly is too obsessed being annoyed, to see the obvious. Fortunately, Heigl and Duhamel are smarter than the script—hinting at the underlying love Holly and Messer have always had. Chemistry conquers a lot. Validation comes when Baby Whisperer Amy (great Britt Flatmo) says, "You guys make an awesome couple." Listen to the 12 year-old. Heigl and Duhamel are an amazing looking couple that has a very comfortable feel.

What Berlanti does well is populate "Life" with quirky supporting characters and nominal narrative twists. Melissa McCarthy is good as the seen-it-all Mom DeeDee. Andrew Daly and Bill Brochtrup are funny as the gay parents Scott and Gary, who faun over the strikingly handsome Duhamel. Sarah Burns is awesome as the social worker Janine Groff, who warns Holly and Messer about complicating their relationship. Burns is hysterically touching as she becomes their biggest advocate. Brooke and Kiley Liddell are priceless as Sophie. Though hers is not really a performance, she is just being. There are the formulae high jinx with baby poop and babysitting duty. Conflict is manufactured. Messer is offered the sports TV director slot for the Phoenix Suns, which would displace him from home in Atlanta. Holly starts a relationship with solid Sam (down home charming Josh Lucas), Sophie's pediatrician. Life is diverging.

Here in "Life as We Know It" there is an upside to predictability. We cheer for Holly, Messer, and Sophie, because we see before they do: They are a family. Heigl and Duhamel are awesome, apart or together. They overcome a lot of the formulae. Being predictable is overrated, when you have great heart like "Life as We Know It".

Couples Unexpected

[bacnekid · 7/10 · 3 February 2011]

I really enjoyed the movie , i was expecting more , but wasn't bad after all.I'd say i found it funny & overwhelming , not a chance that i've wasted my time , definitely a very appropriate story and an ideal first-time parent concept.

Best scene : the whole arguing and conversation while having these drown cat faces , and that's a couple's argument , i can tell you that.

The presence of the the social worker was perfect , it gave the story a much warmer scenes , and a bit funnier moments . Liked the way she cried , it was hilarious.

But i should say , the story have been kinda of predictable in the end , the typical breaking up then coming to common sense , a very typical ending. a very enjoyable movie , i liked it after all.

RL

Mixes Like Oil and Water

[pc95 · 4/10 · 20 January 2011]

I don't understand comedies like "Life as We Know It". When are directors of this tripe going to understand that you cant mix sitcom humor and scripts with dramatic solemn issues. It does not work at all. Scene after scene we have sitcom dialog mixed in poorly with real-life situations of guardianship, death, and grieving. It adds up to a bad dish served. For instance we have the so-called social worker going from serious to wanna-be provocative exclaiming "You had sex" in one scene - ugh. No acquaintance to say less than a business relationship speaks like that. The neighbors were vapid, the couple especially the Messner character did not see believable at all. By the end, you have your Hollywood made for screen-groups ending. Do yourself a favor and skip this dud.