Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Pierce Brosnan, Kelsey Grammer, Christina Hendricks, Olivia Munn, Greg Kinnear
Director: Douglas McGrath
Here we have a movie that is pleasant enough in a lot of respects, and only hampered by the fact that a comedy involving the day-to-day machinations of an overworked wife and mother has been explored to death in the movies. The film offers no new insights and is too lightweight to recommend, but it does charm from time to time along the way.
The one surprise that the movie offers is how seemingly aware it is that it's not going to impart any real insight. Its best quality is that it doesn't overreach, choosing instead to focus on the humor. (I know that sounds like the most backhanded of compliments, but I assure you I'm not trying to be sarcastic.) "I Don't Know How She Does It" is smarter than a lot of comedies and benefits from a talented cast. It doesn't leave enough of an imprint to be effective, but it's nowhere near as bad as the paltry 17% approval rating on rottentomatoes.com would have you believe.
Based upon the book by Allison Pearson, the movie stars Sarah Jessica Parker as Kate Reddy, the aforementioned wife/mother/full-time employee at an upscale Boston investment firm. We see how overworked she is right from the start as her nights are filled not with sleep, but with trepidation over her "list" of things to accomplish the following day... things like getting her kids to school, putting the finishing touches on a work proposal, taking the family car in for servicing. ("Shouldn't that be on Richard's list?" she wonders while glancing over at her all-too-peacefully asleep husband. "Ah, who am I kidding... he doesn't have a list.") Her biggest concern at the moment is coming up with something good for her daughter's bake sale. For Kate, the most viable option is purchasing a pie from the store, then imbuing it with just enough imperfections to make it seem homemade. Fortunately, Kate's best friend (Christina Hendricks) is also a mother who manages to "trump" her bake sale ineffectiveness with an even more lame contribution. (She accompanies Kate with a bowl of unset Jell-o nestled in her armpit.)
For the most part, Kate seems to be balancing things okay, despite the concerns of her mother-in-law (Jane Curtin) who wonders aloud if her two-and-a-half-year-old grandson would be speaking now if Kate spent more time in his presence. Her husband (Greg Kinnear) is supportive and kind, though they do have the usual disagreements. ("Husbands and wives view child care differently," Kate tells the audience in one of many voice-over narrations. "Men see it as money going out that could better be spent elsewhere, while women see a person who knows exactly what kind of blanket her two-year-old likes best." Some things you can't put a price tag on.) Kate's life shifts into full-throttle upon being given an opportunity to help orchestrate a corporate merger proposal with highly-renowned New York City power broker Jack Abelhammer (Pierce Brosnan). The assignment would be a huge step in her career, though it could come at an exorbitant cost to her family's happiness. Kate does have the benefit of a savvy, hardworking, tireless assistant named Momo (Olivia Munn) yet she must fight off her chief business rival, a smarmy twit named Bunce (Seth Meyers).
Parker is a deft comedienne with impeccable comic timing, though some of the bits of physical comedy do seem a little over-the-top. One involves an embarrassing moment where Kate is caught "adjusting" her undergarments before a teleconferencing screen while not realizing someone is watching on the other end (how could she not see that one coming?) while another is the result of a lice scare just prior to a big meeting (aren't they all?).
The better bits involve various testimonials from other characters, none of whom have the slightest idea how hard it is to juggle the responsibilities of home and work... even though all are perfectly willing to offer their own would-be insights. The most notable ones involve Olivia Munn's Momo who wonders why Kate calls her children during lunch "when she knows she's supposed to be working," Seth Meyers' Bunce who regurgitates chauvinistic crap while lamenting over his own perceived "double-standards" for men in the workplace, and Busy Philipps as a rival mother who imparts her own brand of wisdom from atop a stairmaster. (I did find myself wondering about the origins of said testimonials. Was someone making a documentary about Kate herself?)
There's nothing objectionable here, but nor is there enough to recommend. The movie basically ends where it started. Along the way there are a few laughs and I did find myself smiling through stretches, even as I knew nothing would remain in my memory for long. The movie may appeal to some, though it didn't play--to me, anyway--like a must-see.
* * 1/2 out of * * * * stars
The one surprise that the movie offers is how seemingly aware it is that it's not going to impart any real insight. Its best quality is that it doesn't overreach, choosing instead to focus on the humor. (I know that sounds like the most backhanded of compliments, but I assure you I'm not trying to be sarcastic.) "I Don't Know How She Does It" is smarter than a lot of comedies and benefits from a talented cast. It doesn't leave enough of an imprint to be effective, but it's nowhere near as bad as the paltry 17% approval rating on rottentomatoes.com would have you believe.
Based upon the book by Allison Pearson, the movie stars Sarah Jessica Parker as Kate Reddy, the aforementioned wife/mother/full-time employee at an upscale Boston investment firm. We see how overworked she is right from the start as her nights are filled not with sleep, but with trepidation over her "list" of things to accomplish the following day... things like getting her kids to school, putting the finishing touches on a work proposal, taking the family car in for servicing. ("Shouldn't that be on Richard's list?" she wonders while glancing over at her all-too-peacefully asleep husband. "Ah, who am I kidding... he doesn't have a list.") Her biggest concern at the moment is coming up with something good for her daughter's bake sale. For Kate, the most viable option is purchasing a pie from the store, then imbuing it with just enough imperfections to make it seem homemade. Fortunately, Kate's best friend (Christina Hendricks) is also a mother who manages to "trump" her bake sale ineffectiveness with an even more lame contribution. (She accompanies Kate with a bowl of unset Jell-o nestled in her armpit.)
For the most part, Kate seems to be balancing things okay, despite the concerns of her mother-in-law (Jane Curtin) who wonders aloud if her two-and-a-half-year-old grandson would be speaking now if Kate spent more time in his presence. Her husband (Greg Kinnear) is supportive and kind, though they do have the usual disagreements. ("Husbands and wives view child care differently," Kate tells the audience in one of many voice-over narrations. "Men see it as money going out that could better be spent elsewhere, while women see a person who knows exactly what kind of blanket her two-year-old likes best." Some things you can't put a price tag on.) Kate's life shifts into full-throttle upon being given an opportunity to help orchestrate a corporate merger proposal with highly-renowned New York City power broker Jack Abelhammer (Pierce Brosnan). The assignment would be a huge step in her career, though it could come at an exorbitant cost to her family's happiness. Kate does have the benefit of a savvy, hardworking, tireless assistant named Momo (Olivia Munn) yet she must fight off her chief business rival, a smarmy twit named Bunce (Seth Meyers).
Parker is a deft comedienne with impeccable comic timing, though some of the bits of physical comedy do seem a little over-the-top. One involves an embarrassing moment where Kate is caught "adjusting" her undergarments before a teleconferencing screen while not realizing someone is watching on the other end (how could she not see that one coming?) while another is the result of a lice scare just prior to a big meeting (aren't they all?).
The better bits involve various testimonials from other characters, none of whom have the slightest idea how hard it is to juggle the responsibilities of home and work... even though all are perfectly willing to offer their own would-be insights. The most notable ones involve Olivia Munn's Momo who wonders why Kate calls her children during lunch "when she knows she's supposed to be working," Seth Meyers' Bunce who regurgitates chauvinistic crap while lamenting over his own perceived "double-standards" for men in the workplace, and Busy Philipps as a rival mother who imparts her own brand of wisdom from atop a stairmaster. (I did find myself wondering about the origins of said testimonials. Was someone making a documentary about Kate herself?)
There's nothing objectionable here, but nor is there enough to recommend. The movie basically ends where it started. Along the way there are a few laughs and I did find myself smiling through stretches, even as I knew nothing would remain in my memory for long. The movie may appeal to some, though it didn't play--to me, anyway--like a must-see.
* * 1/2 out of * * * * stars
