Failing to see anything remotely comical about this movie, I found it just rattled out old stereotypes about age and race without confronting these issues in any kind of depth. What was particularly disappointing is to see again that Hollywood still fails to confront the fact that meaningful, long-term relationships exist between partners in which the woman is significantly older than the man (including a large number of theatrical pairings). Not only was the relationship portrayed utterly shallow, but there was no attempt whatsoever to introduce any discussion of how the various obstacles the couple faced might be overcome.
Ultimately, the movie left a string of unanswered 'whys'. Why, for instance, should it be taken for granted that fatherhood would spoil the life of a 24-year-old man, even when he has made the decision himself to go through with it? Why should children be a curse and a life-spoiler? (and is this the message we should be giving young men?) Why should maturity be portrayed as dull and pedestrian, and youth as frivolous and unable to cope with the weightier issues of life? Why did David have to be so pitifully immature when others his age are already in, and enjoying, responsible positions? Does a meaningful, long-term relationship necessarily have to preclude an individual from any kind of adventure of self- realization?
The film might have been improved had David and Rafi achieved any kind of a meaningful conversation, but since they failed to do this, being too preoccupied with bedtime gymnastics or quarreling, we were denied any access to the thought-processes behind the decisions they made, particularly the most important decisions, to go for a baby (on David's part), and to separate. Had the couple been shown debating their issues rationally - instead of simply breaking up every time they hit a problem - the film might have given a helpful insight into the nature of relationships.
Finally, although this film was obviously trying to set up some kind of a 'this is how things really are, folks' ending, I fail to see why relationship failure is any more realistic a conclusion than happily-ever-after. It's just another all-or-nothing, black-and-white Hollywood oversimplification. Surely a more interesting and unusual ending to such a movie would be to show how people somehow manage to muddle through together, not in dramatic epic fireworks, but in finding new and constructive ways to confront their problems. But Hollywood seems to abhor anything that is not either implausibly romantic or utterly hopeless.
In short, this was not a particularly insightful or helpful film.
Ultimately, the movie left a string of unanswered 'whys'. Why, for instance, should it be taken for granted that fatherhood would spoil the life of a 24-year-old man, even when he has made the decision himself to go through with it? Why should children be a curse and a life-spoiler? (and is this the message we should be giving young men?) Why should maturity be portrayed as dull and pedestrian, and youth as frivolous and unable to cope with the weightier issues of life? Why did David have to be so pitifully immature when others his age are already in, and enjoying, responsible positions? Does a meaningful, long-term relationship necessarily have to preclude an individual from any kind of adventure of self- realization?
The film might have been improved had David and Rafi achieved any kind of a meaningful conversation, but since they failed to do this, being too preoccupied with bedtime gymnastics or quarreling, we were denied any access to the thought-processes behind the decisions they made, particularly the most important decisions, to go for a baby (on David's part), and to separate. Had the couple been shown debating their issues rationally - instead of simply breaking up every time they hit a problem - the film might have given a helpful insight into the nature of relationships.
Finally, although this film was obviously trying to set up some kind of a 'this is how things really are, folks' ending, I fail to see why relationship failure is any more realistic a conclusion than happily-ever-after. It's just another all-or-nothing, black-and-white Hollywood oversimplification. Surely a more interesting and unusual ending to such a movie would be to show how people somehow manage to muddle through together, not in dramatic epic fireworks, but in finding new and constructive ways to confront their problems. But Hollywood seems to abhor anything that is not either implausibly romantic or utterly hopeless.
In short, this was not a particularly insightful or helpful film.