Movie: There is probably no feeling that is as complicated as love. Love can be so beautiful, yet cruel and mean at the same time. It makes people act completely irrational, which is, after all, what makes it so exciting, thrilling and somehow inscrutable. But sometimes you wish you could understand love so you wouldn't lose your footing. Nancy Meyers ("What Women Want", "What the Heart Desires") talks about this and other complications of love in her latest film, meaningfully titled "If Love Were That Simple".
Meryl Streep plays Jane Adler, a mother of three who, since separating from her husband Jake (Alec Baldwin), has been very successful professionally with her bakery but has led a rather meager life in matters of love. But when the divorced couple attend their son Luke's (Hunter Parrish) college graduation party together, Jane realizes just how much passion she still has left in her. Because after a few too many glasses of wine, she and Jake end up in bed together - an adventure that ends in a tangible affair. After all, Jake is now married to the much younger Agness (Lake Bell). And as if all that weren't complicated enough, Adam (Steve Martin), a lovable architect, then enters Jane's life and triggers feelings in her that completely call into question her newly rekindled passion with Jake.
Nancy Meyers once again devotes herself to her favorite subject, exploring the love lives of adults without really coming to any new conclusions. The viewer learns that love is complicated, but the why remains unexplained. What makes "If Love Were So Simple" stand out is the amusing script and the great actors. Especially Alec Baldwin, who is currently at the peak of his career (so far) thanks to his role in the comedy series "30 Rock", delivers a great comedic performance. The chemistry between him and Meryl Streep is spot on and makes every scene between the two a real treat. Steve Martin, whose last "beauty-"OP is a bit too obvious, remains a bit pale next to it and seems, not only within the story, a bit like the fifth wheel on the wagon. And yet he represents a very important ingredient to the story, which despite its ordinariness can completely convince through this great threesome.
Despite a few small hangers, viewers are entertained here for two hours Best. It is particularly pleasing that there is finally once again a really nice romantic comedy for the Ü30 fraction. At the end remains not only a pleasant good mood feeling, but also the realization that life (and the cinema) would be much more boring if love were so simple...
Picture + Sound: The technical implementation of the DVD is consistently on a good level, which would not have to offer any highlights in any area. Sharpness, colouring, contrasts are good but could be better here and there. The sound is determined by the dialogues and the music and therefore doesn't really knock anyone's socks off. Still, for a comedy, this good level is more than adequate.
Extras: When it comes to extras, the director's enthusiastic audio commentary takes center stage. Meyers, of course, has nothing but good things to say about her actors and the atmosphere during filming. But this makes her so sympathetic that you actually buy it. Besides that, there's just a nearly 20-minute promotional making-of that provides little real insight into the production. Nice, but no more.
Conclusion: "If Love Were So Simple" is a charming romantic comedy that lives very much from its lead actors. The DVD is technically well realized, the extras on the other hand are dispensable. Nevertheless: for all romantics beyond 30 absolutely recommendable!
Original title: It`s complicated
Director: Nancy Meyers
Length: approx. 115 min.
FSK: o.al.
No. of Discs: 1
Languages: English, German (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles:German, English, Turkish
Image Format: 16:9 (1.85:1)
Extras: Audio Commentary, Making of
Regional Code: 2
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