Movie Review: Baby Mama (2008)


Few would argue against the fact that Judd Apatow and Tina Fey are the hottest comedic properties in Hollywood today. So with the success of Apatow’s Knocked Up last year, there was little surprise that its premise (or some form of it) would rear its ugly head again. It has with Baby Mama.

While Baby Mama doesn’t necessarily miss the boat as Apatow’s production did (his didn’t focus on the pregnancy at all), it is still a very poorly conceived film. That’s because writer/director Michael McCullers figured Amy Poehler playing a socially retarded character against Tina Fey’s straightlaced role would be all that was required for successful comedy. In many cases, the antagonist/protagonist comedy sketch is enough to make a funny movie, but this movie is just so damn dull and lifeless that it never gets much better than one of those lame Saturday Night Live skits we’ve gotten so used to.

Mostly, it’s because the majority of the characters are about as engaging as watching a debate over whether new Coke is better than old Coke. Tina Fey as Kate Holbrook, the childless, super successful vice-president of whole foods company Round Earth, is the correct call from a casting standpoint. What falters is she isn’t given any room to make the character anything but a lonely, prudish complainer. Her lines are as dry as her uterus (hence the reason she hires Poehler to carry her baby) and worse she says them very blasé, with an almost complete disinterest in what she is doing. Watching her “relationship” with Rob Ackerman (Greg Kinnear) bloom is equally painful to watch. They say love is blind, but is it stupid too? These two have nothing in common and seem put together strictly to make Kate appear to have a pulse.

There is a bright spot and Lord help me for saying this, but Poehler’s performance as Angie Ostrowiski, the off-the-wall, adolescent-minded surrogate, is actually the high mark for actors in Baby Mama. All the red lights have been removed from her path, so she hams it up like nothing I’ve ever seen on celluloid before (although Adam Sandler has had his moments). She has really honed her craft for obnoxious behavior during her seven years on SNL and ten or so movies she’s done in the past year or so, and it has all culminated in her showing here.

Aside from that lone non-blemish, Baby Mama should really be viewed as a public service ad for how not to make a comedy. While most of the jokes come at the expense of Angie acting like a cavewoman (pissing in a sink comes to mind), the others rely on a mixture of basic, humdrum comedy staples and the latest cool lingo and fads – most of which result in very awkward silences (i.e., the audience doesn’t laugh). Hell, when a comedic icon like Steve Martin can’t be made funny (he’s Barry, Kate’s transcendental boss), you know you’ve stepped into some deep shit. In good faith I can only recommend this movie to the legions of fans of Amy Poehler – there is absolutely no other reason for anyone else to want to see this. That is of course unless it is on cable and it is a rainy Sunday afternoon (at which point it is a toss-up to either watch this or pluck your eyebrows).

Critical Movie Critic Rating:
2 Star Rating: Bad

2

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The Critical Movie Critics

I'm an old, miserable fart set in his ways. Some of the things that bring a smile to my face are (in no particular order): Teenage back acne, the rain on my face, long walks on the beach and redneck women named Francis. Oh yeah, I like to watch and criticize movies.


'Movie Review: Baby Mama (2008)' have 17 comments

  1. The Critical Movie Critics

    June 3, 2008 @ 2:02 pm Tracy

    I wouldn’t go to the theatre to see this one, but I will get it on netflix for a little giggle on a boring day.

  2. The Critical Movie Critics

    November 10, 2008 @ 8:12 am big man

    Totally agree with the ridiculous pairing of the Ackerman with the career loving vice-president.

    Made no sense to me and pretty much ruined the film for me

  3. The Critical Movie Critics

    March 1, 2009 @ 10:40 am voyant

    completely and absolutely agree, Ackerman is not a place I think for me.

  4. The Critical Movie Critics

    July 13, 2009 @ 9:05 pm club penguin

    Totally agree with the ridiculous pairing of the Ackerman with the career loving vice-president.

  5. The Critical Movie Critics

    August 30, 2009 @ 11:37 pm bookmarking

    I never watched Baby Mama, but I saw it at a Blockbuster store. It seems to be a good movie at first glance.

    Besides, this film got 6.1/10 from imdb.com and 63/100 from rottentomatoes.com. It’s an acceptable score, I guess. I might watch it sometime.

  6. The Critical Movie Critics

    September 30, 2009 @ 4:27 pm Virtual Pets

    If only Tina Fey had written the movie, then maybe it would have been bearable.

  7. The Critical Movie Critics

    October 1, 2009 @ 7:03 pm free money

    “Bearable”? Maybe I’m just quirky or something, but I didn’t think the movie was half that bad. Or maybe I was just prejudiced because of Tina Fey being in it.

  8. The Critical Movie Critics

    October 2, 2009 @ 4:00 pm Steven M

    Wow, that is one heck of a rating. Four turd piles? That has got to be the funniest rating system that I’ve seen in a while! Really that bad, huh?

  9. The Critical Movie Critics

    October 3, 2009 @ 11:14 pm Rebecca

    Yes, StevenM… it really was that bad. The rating may seem harsh, as I am normally pretty giving in my opinion on things. But this movie absolutely deserves the rating it got.

  10. The Critical Movie Critics

    October 4, 2009 @ 6:48 am General Disdain

    Carrying on a fictitious comment conversation is what I find barely “bearable”. Take your comment spam elsewhere please.

  11. The Critical Movie Critics

    October 16, 2009 @ 12:45 am Sean

    You know? I’ve never seen this movie and was thinking about renting this weekend when my friend will be here. Now I don’t know though!

  12. The Critical Movie Critics

    October 16, 2009 @ 3:06 am Tap Dance Mat

    I had the chance to watch this movie last year but i forgot some of the scene. Maybe i will rent it on weekends.

  13. The Critical Movie Critics

    October 23, 2009 @ 8:12 am Play Online

    In many cases, the antagonist/protagonist comedy sketch is enough to make a funny movie, but this movie is just so damn dull and lifeless that it never gets much better than one of those lame Saturday Night Live skits we’ve gotten so used to.

  14. The Critical Movie Critics

    October 29, 2009 @ 7:11 am Cheap Dental Insurance

    I watched this yestarday with my duaghter. She is off school unwell so it was a day on the sofa with a couple of films. She liked the film and I have to adnmit I liked it too.

  15. The Critical Movie Critics

    October 29, 2009 @ 2:35 pm Emo

    Wow, that is one heck of a rating. Four turd piles? That has got to be the funniest rating system that I’ve seen in a while! Really that bad, huh?

  16. The Critical Movie Critics

    October 29, 2009 @ 3:50 pm trans siberian railway

    I think the story here was there, but they miserably failed at making it into the comedy I think they thought they had. Not the worst movie, but it could have been much better if they had taken a little more time in choosing who played what.

  17. The Critical Movie Critics

    December 4, 2009 @ 5:07 pm العاب

    I really don’t know, but i liked the film, it’s not that movie but it is still funny one.

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