Skip to main content

Dome Pondering Movie Review: Friends With Kids (2011)


What is it about? 

Two friends decide to have a child together without all of the strings attached of romantic emotion to avoid the changes that children can have on a relationship. 

Who is in it? 

Jennifer Westfeldt - Julie Keller

Adam Scott - Jason Fryman

Favorite Scene: 

After taking a trip to Vermont for the holidays, things come to ahead in a confrontation at the table between Jason and Ben in front of everyone. 

Favorite Quote: 

Ben: So, why didn't you guys ever even try to get together? 
Jason Fryman: It's too much familiarity. It's like she's one of my limbs. 
Ben: And that's bad, because...? 
Jason Fryman: Because I hate myself

Review: 

Friends With Kids is another film in-line with all of the movies that seem to take real-life issues in life and present it in a comical, yet, still truthful way. We know the types, Knocked Up, 40 Year-Old Virgin, This is 40, Bridesmaids, and on, and on. FWK brings a new interesting dynamic of friends who are running out of time to have a child. 

While FWK presents the issue in a semi-authentic way, with one couple that is married an making it work, the other couple whose romance has burned out after they had children, and of course, the two friends who are avoiding all of the emotional stuff, but get wrapped up into it anyway. While shedding an interesting view on how children change marriages, the movie does come across a bit negative on having children as if it's some devastating blow rather than something that changes the marriage for one way or the other. 

While Jennifer Westfeldt directs this film under what seems like the handbook of Judd Apatow, the movie is an interesting one that is made entertaining by the crew from Bridesmaids. Maya Rudolph and Chris O'Dowd are hilarious, and Adam Scott really carried the movie and delivered something very different to his character on Parks and Recreation. However, honestly, I really feel like the film could have done more with Kristen Wiig, in fact, she might have been better suited for the lead role rather than Westfeldt, herself. 

All in all, FWK isn't great, but it's interesting, funny, and sort of ends up leaving a guy like myself wondering if I just watched a chicflick. Overall, it's entertaining. 

Grade: 2/5

Recent Favorites

Dome Pondering Movie Review: The After (2023)

What is it about? In a short film, a grieving man confronts his past when he comes face-to-face with a passenger.  Who is in it? David Oyelowo - Dayo Jessica Plummer - Amanda Amelie Dokubo - Laura  Favorite Scene: It's an extremely short film, so...the final few moments.  Favorite Quote:  None. (not much dialogue) Review: This eighteen-minute masterpiece is amazing. You're absolutely taken on this ride of emotions that ultimately leaves you with a great realization of questioning what we value in life.  The lead character, in eighteen minutes, is powerful. His grief is carried through the film, exploding at the end. It very much leaves the viewer with so many questions - what was his life before the tragedy? What was his life after that moment? Did he ever reconnect with that family? Did he rediscover happiness?  Again, a very, VERY, powerful eighteen minutes that will jolt the heart, mind, and soul about life, what is important, and what we overvalue in its place.  Grade: 4/5

2024 NBA All-Star Weekend Thoughts

There's something wrong with the All-Star Game.  Yeah, we've definitely had this conversation before. Expect to pick up this very discussion (again) in July when Major League Baseball has their version in the "Mid-Summer Classic" when it is the ONLY current topic to bounce around in the stratosphere of sports discourse.  What's wrong with the All-Star Game?!  I'm not dismissing the obvious - yes, the NBA All-Star Game is very much at an alarming point of necessary refinement and change - evaluation is needed. What we saw on Sunday night was not disappointing, but outright embarrassing. Also yes, gone are the days when the game flooded your television screen at a respectable 6:30pm on NBC, and you were wowed by the athleticism and star power of the first half of the game, and treated to what felt like the world's best players playing pickup basketball on the grandest stage.  Now? Not so much. So yeah, we got the message. The outrage - and shock TV and hot t

Quick Ponder: Daily Armor

Imagine, if we can see the dents and scratches, the smashes and chaos,  on the daily armor, each of us put on. Just imagine.