Drew Barrymore is a girl (Beverly) with a dream to go to college and escape the poorer working class lifestyle and take on the Big Apple, but she is thrust into the world of motherhood, much to the disappointment of her father, played excellently by James Woods. Beverly must sacrifice her original plans and marry her son's father, Ray, also played wonderfully by Steve Zahn. She lacks the motive of love, so when Ray's somewhat good-natured but weak disposition leads him to the prison of drug addiction, her next decision is not too difficult.
Drew Barrymore's likeability and honesty on camera saves her from her flawed approach and inability to age correctly throughout the picture (but let's note that the latter is not solely her fault). However, the rest of the cast are undoubtedly believable as somewhat confused, but good-willed citizens of the not-quite-middle-class. Steve Zahn's portrayal of a hopeless, yet loveable loser is fabulous, and James Woods gives an extraordinary, yet understated performance as a father trying to do what's best but not always succeeding. Others, including Adam Garcia as Beverly's troubled son and Britney Murphy as Beverly's best friend give great, charming performances as well.
This is a movie that effectively and humorously explores how fighting for a dream can sometimes overshadow what is really important in our lives, but not having one at all can lead to a self-destructive, paralytic life. Beverly must learn that her determined ambition to overcome adversity may also be equally as reckless and sometimes plans for the future must change, and even so, things will not always go according to plan.
The female characters are depicted much more realistically than in the favorite romantic comedies of today, so women should find this movie easy to relate too, even if they didn't have a baby out of wedlock. There are some genuinely touching and funny moments, but the romance is too gritty (and certainly not the main focus) to make this a full fledged chick flick. Females should love it even more, simply because of this.
What is frustrating about this film, though, is I feel the story was not given enough justice. There were uneven moments throughout the picture, and Drew barely delivers. But the script could stand alone, and with the help of great actors, it triumphed!
Drew Barrymore's likeability and honesty on camera saves her from her flawed approach and inability to age correctly throughout the picture (but let's note that the latter is not solely her fault). However, the rest of the cast are undoubtedly believable as somewhat confused, but good-willed citizens of the not-quite-middle-class. Steve Zahn's portrayal of a hopeless, yet loveable loser is fabulous, and James Woods gives an extraordinary, yet understated performance as a father trying to do what's best but not always succeeding. Others, including Adam Garcia as Beverly's troubled son and Britney Murphy as Beverly's best friend give great, charming performances as well.
This is a movie that effectively and humorously explores how fighting for a dream can sometimes overshadow what is really important in our lives, but not having one at all can lead to a self-destructive, paralytic life. Beverly must learn that her determined ambition to overcome adversity may also be equally as reckless and sometimes plans for the future must change, and even so, things will not always go according to plan.
The female characters are depicted much more realistically than in the favorite romantic comedies of today, so women should find this movie easy to relate too, even if they didn't have a baby out of wedlock. There are some genuinely touching and funny moments, but the romance is too gritty (and certainly not the main focus) to make this a full fledged chick flick. Females should love it even more, simply because of this.
What is frustrating about this film, though, is I feel the story was not given enough justice. There were uneven moments throughout the picture, and Drew barely delivers. But the script could stand alone, and with the help of great actors, it triumphed!