The Back-Up Plan starts with a desperate girl named Zoe, who wants nothing more than to meet the man of her dreams and have a family. Mostly, the bit about the family. But having dated for years with no results she decides to take matters into her own hands and gets artificially inseminated by CRM-1014. On that very day, along comes the man of her dreams, Stan. A cheese selling farmer. He's good looking, charming, and after learning that Zoe is pregnant, is willing to help her raise this kid who isn't his. They have 9 months to date, fall in love and have a baby. Her clock is ticking like no other. So. Having watched the preview and against your better instinct you are now considering whether to watch The Back-Up Plan. And you ask, "Is this movie as cheesy as the cheese Stan sells for a living?" Let's start with the not-so-great. On their first date, Stan accidentally spills wine on Zoe while going in for their first kiss. Apparently the wine they have is 50% alcohol because their candle-lit dinner in the garden turns into a fire. In an attempt to put the fire out, Zoe inadvertently sprays Stan down with a hose and a water fight ensues. This is not the first chick flick I've seen with a playful water fight. Actually, Remember Me had one as well. I just don't understand the appeal or the entertainment value. In another scene, Zoe and Stan are standing in front of a kiddie pool with a fully dilated mother screaming her lungs out in an exorcism-like fashion. Not only does Zoe belly flop into the pool, but Stan gets a nice Shamoo-sized splash in his fear-stricken face. Disgusting? A little. Funny? A little. Before women start chastising me - I just want to state that having children is a beautiful thing and can be very painful. Women everywhere have my utmost respect for going through what they do to bear and raise children. But how may times has a movie exaggerated the insanity of giving birth? From a movie-goer's perspective this has been played out. I could say the same about a lot of the other jokes. The humor was on the lower end of the scale for me. The best laugh I got was the gynecologist repeating, "Vagina. Vagina. Vagina." in order to calm Stan down during a visit. What about the good? What if there something deeper to this shallow comedy that masquerades as entertainment? Perhaps The Back-Up Plan serves as a litmus test for the acceptance of artificial insemination in today's modern world. Must the modern woman live life at the speed of light and battle the pressures and expectations of marriage and of having children? Perhaps The Back-Up Plan shows that a true man perseveres and stands by his woman through thick and thin and babies - and a real man should. Well, then I'd have to retract all my criticism and atone by watching it once again with open eyes and a new perspective. Or maybe this is yet another failed attempt at cheap entertainment because with a $12 price tag, it might be a bit overpriced. Well, if you can first suspend your disbelief that a man is able to fully commit to a woman pregnant with someone else's baby after just 2 dates. Then, if you wade through all the failed comedy bits and the cliché romance, then maybe we can talk a bit about the good. Perhaps Zoe isn't trying to be a single mom because she can't meet the right guy. Maybe the reason is deeper and is paralleled by her grandmother who has been engaged for the past 22 years. Maybe I'm giving this movie too much credit. But what I do know is that there were at least a dozen people in the theater and there were quite a few good laughs in the audience. This movie is entertaining - to some. So if you're on the fence about The Back-Up Plan, I say just do it. I hope those that decide to watch it against my recommendations enjoy it. As for me, I'd rather watch Knocked Up again.
Review of The Back-up Plan
