It's Complicated (2009)

When attending their son's college graduation, a couple reignite the spark in their relationship. But the complicated fact is they're divorced and he's remarried.

Director:

Nancy Meyers

Writer:

Nancy Meyers

Stars:

Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 8 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Meryl Streep	...	Jane Adler
Steve Martin	...	Adam Schaffer
Alec Baldwin	...	Jake Adler
John Krasinski	...	Harley
Lake Bell	...	Agness Adler
Mary Kay Place	...	Joanne
Rita Wilson	...	Trisha
Alexandra Wentworth	...	Diane
Hunter Parrish	...	Luke Adler
Zoe Kazan	...	Gabby Adler
Caitlin FitzGerald	...	Lauren Adler
Emjay Anthony	...	Pedro Adler
Nora Dunn	...	Sally
Bruce Altman	...	Ted
Robert Curtis Brown	...	Peter

Storyline

When brought together at a family event, two exes find themselves oddly attracted to each other after ten years of divorce. Although the couple think that this affair will stay in a different state, it brings itself back to their own city and disrupts their personal lives. While the couple still maintain other romances, they cannot help but to continue with their affair.

---

Plot Keywords:

vomiting | mature romance | plastic surgeon | older man younger woman relationship | female protagonist | 

---

Taglines:

First comes marriage. Then comes divorce. And then...

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some drug content and sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the movie Jane teases Jake about being an old father and being almost 80 when a potential child graduates college since his second wife wants to have a baby. Shortly after making the movie Alec Baldwin who plays Jake married a younger woman and has several children with her. In real life he will be over 80 when his youngest graduates college.

---

Goofs

When Jane asks Harley if he wants a toke from her pot in the bathroom, the cigarette along with the lighter are in her left hand. But in the next shot, the cigarette is in her right hand.

---

Quotes

Jake: Home Sweet Home.

---

Connections

Referenced in 500 Questions: Episode #2.1 (2016)

---

Soundtracks

Bennie and the Jets
Written by Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Performed by Elton John
Courtesy of Mercury Records Limited
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Its simple, really

"It's Complicated" is pretty simple, actually. Successful Californian food store owner Meryl Streep has been happily divorced from her former husband Alex Baldwin for the last ten years, but on a trip to New York to attend their son's graduation, she starts an affair with him. He happens to have re-married, to a younger woman, while she becomes involved with her architect Steve Martin. Will Meryl and Alec get back together again, or will she set off into the sunset with Steve. ​What will the children think? Do we care?

Well, not a lot. The lifestyle depicted is one in which everything is perfect, especially the cast's complexions. There are no human imperfections depicted, unless you count lust. All the characters, with the partial exception of Meryl, are stereotypes – people from Advertising land. In real life things are much more complicated.

That said, this is a superior piece of its type and it passes the watch test (I didn't look at my watch while viewing it). True, I could watch Meryl reading the phone book, and yes the dialogue was witty and the set pieces funny, and I had some guilty enjoyment from all the affluence. But really it was all too sweet, like Meryl's chocolate cake. Alex Baldwin does a passable LA lawyer while Steve Martin seems to be in the wrong movie.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Spain]

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English French

Release Date:

25 December 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Nancy Meyers Project

Filming Locations:

714 West Potrero Road, Hidden Valley, Westlake Village, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$85,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$22,100,820, 27 December 2009

Gross USA:

$112,735,375

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$219,103,655

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, Waverly Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1