Friends with Kids (2011)

The Proposal opened my horizons to romantic comedies. The character introductions and situations lead the way. The conflict erupts. An untenable situation that stands to divide the two characters that I am rooting for suddenly arises. After some time, the blocking issue is resolved for a predictable happy ending. It’s an oft-tried, oft-failed formula that, when done well, is a blissful ride.

The first scene of Friends with Kids introduces us to six longtime friends—two couples and two best friends (four of them Bridesmaids alums). They are energetic 30-somethings on the cusp of child bearing and rearing. As children arrive, the tension between the couples and friends is tested. It gives voice to the effects of kids on relationships: some will struggle and make it, others won’t.

In the opening scene, Leslie (Maya Rudolph) and Alex (Chris O’Dowd) announce their pregnancy. We see the changes, the struggles and what follows. Missy (Kristen Wiig) and Ben (Jon Hamm) follow suit with different results. Jason (Adam Scott) and Julie (Jennifer Westfeldt) are best friends who, early on, declared their mutual non-attraction to one another but hatch the perfect plan—conceive and raise a child. The plan works until they start navigating dating and co-parenting.

I had a hard time believing Julie and Jason would end up together if he so adamantly didn’t feel attracted to her. He tries to justify it but it doesn’t seem plausible. Remember the scene in When Harry Met Sally when Harry realizes he wants to be with Sally? There, you believe it. Here, I didn’t believe he would come around.

A few beefs: Hamm needs to stop playing Don Draper. Wiig’s character is criminally underused and undeveloped—1-D all the way. Ed Burns has a bit role in which he is lame and boring. Megan Fox has her usual hot girl role.

I recommend this one with a caveat. The Proposal is a very different movie but after recommending, I learned that some loved it, several hated it and there were eye rolls. Both are worth a roll of the dice.

Writer/Director: Jennifer Westfeldt

Country: US

Genre: Comedy

Run time: 107 minutes

Scale: 3.5

The History Boys (2006)

Set in the 1980s with a soundtrack featuring New Order, The Smiths, The Clash, Echo and the Bunnymen and The Cure, The History Boys follows a group of boisterous young men preparing to present their A-levels in history for admittance into Oxford and Cambridge. What are A-levels, you ask? Wikipedia defines them as follows:

A-levels (Advanced Levels) are courses which are taken by British 16-18 year-olds who hold 'advanced' levels of intelligence. The courses are the way to get to university and thus set their proud owner up for a life of unimaginable riches, unimaginable luxury and unimaginable sex. All because you have A-levels.

In this character-driven drama, you get to know the gifted students in their hunger to achieve and learning about themselves. Main character Dakin (Dominic Cooper) believes his smarts and good looks will get him anything. Posner (Samuel Barnett) who has a crush on Dom and his verve. Teacher Hector (Richard Griffiths) loves drama and poetry and has the boys recite poetry or break into song, but this is no time for singing. The headmaster is worried that if they don’t get it, he won’t be able to clock any victories for his school. He brings in Irwin (Stephen Campbell Moore) to fine-tune them to impress with new perspectives on history. As the young men work harder to excel, you start seeing a parallel: Just as in history with wars and battles, they want to win and conquer.

The History Boys plays like a live theater production (makes sense as screenplay was written by Alan Bennett and based on his award-winning play). Most of the film happens in the classroom. The banter is well timed. There are several short musical numbers and movie scenes providing meta drama. There’s also an element of pedophilia in the form of fondling. It’s happening isn’t betrayed but everyone knows about it. Is this another historical parallel? The ending is a shock and then reminiscent of the series finale of Six Feet Under. The History Boys is worth a view. The original Broadway production opened in New York in 2006 and won the 2006 Tony Award for the Best Play. Eleven of the actors recreated their Broadway roles in the movie. Barnett was nominated for the 2006 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.

Director: Nicholas Hytner

Country: UK

Genre: Drama

Run time: 109 minutes

Scale: 3.5

Venkovský ucitel (The Country Teacher) (2008)

If I’d read the concept for The Country Teacher, I’d have canned it on grounds that the story could not have been pulled off without demonizing the protagonist for his lack of judgment and the teen boy’s mother her choices. Instead, the viewer is presented with an emotionally tangled, confusing and uncomfortable situation that winds out of control.

Peter (Pavel Liska) leaves Prague to teach science in a countryside school. He wants to spread his wings away from his mother, a fellow teacher at the school. Soon, he builds a life in the country village. He befriends Marie (Zuzana Bydzovská), a dairy cow farmer with a young teenage son, Lada (Ladislav Sedivý).

(Spoiler Alert: Read at Your Own Risk!)

The Country Teacher works slowly. Peter is anguished—he’s in the present but not exactly in the moment. Marie is similar. She’s a strong but sad person in search of love and connection. Early on, Peter declares that “Chance is the mother of change.” The statement foreshadows and sets the tone. When Peter’s his former lover unexpectedly shows up to win him back, Peter tells him the truth—he never loved him. He sets out to ruin Peter’s new existence and this leads up to an entertaining catalytic scene. There’s an outdoor party. The town is there dancing to a terrific band (who I’m still trying to identify). As the band plays the chords to the punk rhythms and the townies are dancing, I wanted be at the party dancing with them despite the brimming conflict and tension.

The movies highlights unrequited love, loneliness and forgiveness. Almost all the characters are in love with someone who doesn’t/can’t love them in return. Lada’s girlfriend Bara is the exception: she gets what she wants and doesn’t seem to long; she’s a symbol of hope. The ending doesn’t quite deliver. Peter has metamorphasized but it happens too quickly. Are people are capable of forgiving themselves and others and learning from it, especially in these circumstances?

Writer-Director: Bohdan Sláma

Country: Czech Republic

Genre: Drama

Run time: 112 minutes

Scale: 3.5