It’s complicated

Following on in the genre of older people finding love later in life (initiated brilliantly by Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves in “Something’s gotta give”) comes “It’s complicated” focusing on what happens when, after 10 years of divorce, a drunken moment allows you to slip back between the sheets with your ex and become “the other woman”.

Alec Baldwin – stout but spectacular - is the husband was has tired of his young, flat bellied, tiger tattoo’d and fertility obsessed new wife and their boisterous five year old and relishes the calm of his former wife’s beautiful home, fabulous cooking, grown up kids and her renewed interest in sex. He steals the show.

Meryl Streep blossoms from tired, overworked singleton into stoned, care free women who is being courted by two men. Steve Martin, usually one of my favourites, plays an intense, rather needy architect – and doesn’t do it for me anymore – nor, apparently, for Meryl. Harley (the son to be eldest daughter’s husband) adds a fabulous comedy sub-plot as he’s the only one of younger generation to be aware of the poorly disguised affair.

There are plenty of laugh out loud moments – Meryl’s discussion with the plastic surgeon about drooping eyelids, Alec Baldwin’s post coital comments about bikini waxes and the effect of Pilates, the five year old confronting Alec about his attempts to make phone calls discretely from the bathroom and Alec jealously spying on his ex-wife as she attempts to date Steve Martin. Pure comedy.

The script is crisp and there’re some great lines in there such as “Sex is so much sexier the second time around”, “Things look different lying down”, “We’ve had sex twice this week already and it’s only Tuesday” and the ironic “Someone who’s loved you since you were 23 – and for your whole life…” – shame he divorced her 10 years earlier for a younger model!

Perhaps I enjoyed the film so much having recently dated the man from which I was divorced (amicably) in 1990. Anyway, it’s not quite a “chick flick” as the female lead and her “girlfriends” are the wrong side of 50 and there were a fair few men in the audience – who were noticeable by their loud laughs at numerous “older guy” moments too. But a feel good movie nonetheless – although the poignant ending offers a warning to those who think that the idea of going back may have some merit.