Friends With Kids follows two best friends (Westfeldt and Adam Scott) who decide to have a child together. They’ve watched their friends' relationships struggle after the birth of children and resolve that having a child with each other means they get the best of both worlds: bringing up a child half of the time while still going out and having romantic relationships.
There are literally so many possibilities for humour in this fairly original storyline, but that’s where the massive flaw in this 'comedy' lies: it’s just not in the slightest bit funny.
Even with the stellar cast from one of last year’s biggest films, Friends With Kids simply fails to make any comedic impact whatsoever. It’s such a shame because, apart from that, the film isn't terrible. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the greatest film of all time, it’s just … well, it's just nice. There are few other words to describe it. it falls squarely within the Chick Flick category (Megan Fox seemingly only stars to pull in male viewers, as ever) and is a film to watch if nothing else really takes your fancy.
As leads go, Westfeldt and Scott aren’t the strongest pair. Their performances are weak and easily pushed into the background during scenes involving the ‘Bridesmaids Four’. You begin to wish that the film was led by one of the other couples, as, frankly, the growth and decline of their relationships are all the more interesting to watch.
Ultimately, Friend With Kids really isn’t a groundbreaking film. There are no surprises, no twists or turns, and, in fact, you probably already know the ending. It’s a nice, cute, more-rom-than-com film that will leave you with a fuzzy feeling inside.
But if you're looking for a film that will make your sides hurt, this isn’t the film for you. If you enjoy films that are pleasant and make you feel lovely and warm, you could do worse.
