The Back-up Plan

I had been looking forward to seeing this film ever since I saw the trailer but maybe I didn't even need to see the trailer just see who was in it. I love Jennifer Lopez' work, her romantic comedies are great but the draw for me was Alex O'Loughin who I have loved since Moonlight. It was nice to see him in a feature film as a leading man. Although, because I had so much expectations for this film, I had a long way to fall and this of course was the second of two films I bought without seeing first which always adds in a second danger. Unlike Magic Mike, The Back-up Plan did not disappoint. It was fabulous!

A tried and true formula of boy meets girl with a bit of a modern twist. I am in no way arguing for the originality of the film but merely suggesting it doesn't hamper the viewing experience at all. It was funny. Really that is the most important bit of a romantic comedy. Besides for The Break Up, you know how the film is going to end and no matter the trails and tribulations the couple goes through they will end up happily ever after. What you have to work with to make the romantic comedy stand out in the sea of Rom-Coms is the comedy bit. I haven't laugh out loud that much in a long time while watching a Rom-Com. It was so funny and Jennifer Lopez had perfect timing.

This scene was perhaps my favorite and it was Lopez that really drove the comedy in the film. O'Loughlin was more of the straight man but they worked together well and had decent chemistry. A minor problem I had with the film was the supporting cast. I crazed single mother group is a little overdone but somehow recently the reaction to women giving birth has become a comedic device. Lopez's pet shop friends were not fleshed out enough to add anything substantial. The guy she asks to be the sperm donor ended up in love with her without ever really pushing that throughout the film so at the end you're left with a weird feeling as he looks on at the couple's engagement. Some of the deleted scenes helped with his character arc but it was something not needed and just complicated the otherwise fun film. Lopez's friend who already had four kids added something and more time should have just been focused on her. O'Loughlin's side character of the playground Dad, played brilliantly by Anthony Anderson was needed and I even wanted a bit more of them together. I'll concede that it was a bit of a cliche but it worked; plus Anderson worked the comedy bit which was needed while Lopez wasn't onscreen.

There were some awkward moments of trying to get their relationship on the fast track - case in point the cheese barn - but because I had such a great time watching it, these moments in my mind, can be overlooked.