It's Complicated: B

It's Complicated is a well crafted genre exercise that knows its audience and knows exactly what it wants. It's like a big pint of haagen daas. Comfort food that adds a little twist to make it seem new, but also knows how to push all the right buttons.

When you have such pros like Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, they elevate the material. But while my wife thought the film about complicated middle aged love was a bit too "menopausal" I thought it was at least a bit refreshing to see this kind of a relationship on the screen. It exists in a fantasy world where everyone has everything they want materially and can afford to spend countless amounts of money on everything their heart desires. But of course the material things can't buy them what they really want, someone to love.

Alec Baldwin is appealing and a little revolting as the horny ex husband who, emboldened by a drunken fling with his ex-wife Meryl Streep, falls back into love with her and all the things he loved about her.
Streep is a joy as always, and presents a complicated portrait of a self confident older woman who's in touch with her younger sexual side, but doesn't spill over into gross caricature.

It may be a bit disconcerting to hear about Meryl Streep's bikini waxes, or lack thereof, but I found it to be an enjoyable time at the movies.

It's Complicated: B