Review of Friends with Kids (2012) by Pia K — 06 Nov 2016

Director - writer -stars Jennifer Westfeldt. The format is that of a Rom-com but is has an interesting plot line to explore an alternative approach to parenthood. A group of friends - two conventional couples and a man - woman pair meet up in a fancy restaurant, each successful and happy with their lives and relationships.

A young family turns up which gives them the opportunity to discuss children - it turns out that each couple are to have a kid. Cut to a year or two later and we see the chaos that children have brought to the couples and how fraught their relationships havebecome.

The two friends look on in horror but they want a child - just not the baggage that marriage or even being a couple brings. So they decide to concieve a child and be separate parents sharing care 50-50.

So can that arrangement work? This is the basis of the film as it explores the development of their relationship. Its clever and thoughful and it shows you just can't play around with parenting. It would have been better I think to come up with a less conventional conclusion.