Maybe Baby (2000)

Director:

Ben Elton

Writer:

Ben Elton (written by)

Release Date:

24 August 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

A comedy about a couple (Hugh Laurie and Joely Richardson) who are trying to conceive a child.

Plot Keywords:

Infertility | Childless Couple | Adaptation Directed By Original Author | William Tell Overture | Based On Novel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Joely Richardson	...	Lucy Bell
Matthew Macfadyen	...	Nigel
Hugh Laurie	...	Sam Bell
Adrian Lester	...	George
Yasmin Bannerman	...	Melinda
Joanna Lumley	...	Sheila
Rachael Stirling	...	Joanna
Dave Thompson	...	Dave the Comedian / Mrs. Furblob
Emma Thompson	...	Druscilla
Stephen Simms	...	Trevor
John Brenner	...	Kit
Jaz Wilson	...	Baby Cuthbert
James Purefoy	...	Carl Phipps
Guy Barrett	...	Nigel's Posse
Deila Bhujoo	...	Nigel's Posse

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

104 min | Germany:96 min (TV version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Denmark:7 | France:U | Germany:12 | New Zealand:M | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | USA:R | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Albert Bridge, Battersea, London, England, UK

Company:

Pandora Cinema

Trivia:

Emma Thompson only worked a day.

Goofs:

Continuity: Position of the mike on Melinda's headset.

Quotes:

Lucy Bell: [reading Sam's sperm-test resaults] 41% swimming in the wrong direction
Sam Bell: They're in a plastic pot!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Spice World (1997)

Soundtrack:

All I Need

Could have been far better

Picture the scene - it's an office. Three ladies are sitting together, transfixed as a handsome young actor seductively recites a poem to them. When he has finished Joanna Lumley, with the sauciest grin you've ever seen on her face, says: "Darling, you're in serious danger of turning me back into a heterosexual!"

That scene alone is enough to see this film - I was in stitches for about 3 minutes!

I saw Maybe Baby the other evening with my friend Ruth, at a sneak preview. We both had very mixed feelings about it, agreeing that for the first half an hour it was fresh, funny and entertaining.

Maybe I'm biased as I am a major Joanna Lumley fan, but as soon as she disappears from sight, something goes slightly wrong and I began to look at my watch wondering when it would finish.

One of the biggest problems with this film is the casting of Joely Richardson as Lucy, the woman who is so desperate to conceive a baby. She is such an irritating character, not to mention soppy and bossy, that you really don't give a hoot if she DOES become pregnant. Personally, I would worry for the offspring's sanity with Lucy as a mother.

On the other hand, Hugh Laurie managed to be funny, charming, sympathetic and endearing, while Emma Thompson was great in her one and only scene as their hippie pal.

I practically closed my eyes whenever Rowan Atkinson (as Lucy's gynacologist) appeared onscreen - WHY does he always play these braindead characters? He is far more effective in the wily and acid-tongued roles like Blackadder.

It's a sweetly undemanding film, but if you are expecting anything like Notting Hill or Four Weddings & A Funeral, you'll be very disappointed.