L!fe Happens (2011) Reviews

• Heightened in a good sense

  kosmasp2013-10-13

  This is a really nice film with some great female roles in it. While I'm not an expert on women (most men aren't), I thought this was a nice depiction of living with your friends in one home. Growing up, but still wanting someone to depend on. Being adult, but not taking responsibilities for your actions. We've all been there. Is it funny though? That depends on your sense of humor. It's nice to see the girls having fun (and sorrow) with the trouble of life (or "l!fe" as spelled in the title). Great acting then and some nice story development help this movie be above average and if you let it, it will entertain you.

• Despicable people who refuse to grow up

  docweaselband2017-04-24

  I was very bothered by the way the child Max was constantly portrayed as being inconvenient and in the way and even to the point he must be denied and lied about because this boy-crazy chick who refuses to grow up can still go out, get drunk, chase and bed men like she did before she screwed up and got knocked up by some dead-beat because she was more concerned about getting laid. The scene where she yells at her roommate for not being there to baby-sit "forcing" her to hire a 12 year old to baby-sit her toddler enraged me. All these people are despicable, the 3 leads, her boss, the guy and his friends (although the main male lead is the least despicable, he is merely reacting to the psychotic girl LYING about having a baby). This is a terrible movie that panders to the entitled millenial brat who still lives with her irresponsible roommates, goes out to run after men and get drunk and laid at every opportunity and bitches she can't do it more. When you have a child that part of your life is over. Deal with it. Your libido is also less important than taking care of your kid. Quit whinging and focusing on your supposed social life problems and focus on raising your kid. And btw the 'love-life' advice by her friend is horrendous as well, all about the stupid trope that keeping guys jealous and on edge by playing games and lying to them is the way to "trap" them. Ugh. Terrible on every level. Then she "grows up" and finally moves out, but not before quitting her job spontaneously, but thankfully good old Dad is there to finance her moving into a huge, expensive apartment, so she still hasn't grown up or accepted any responsibility, she's just playing a new fantasy. I threw up in my mouth a little then and had to stop watching. The self-regard and self-entitlement is so thick, her Dad actually had to work so she can live her little fantasy, trading the party girl for an upscale young mom subsidized by her Dad for cripe's sake. Be nice if they made movies realistic so that young girls might understand the real upsides, downsides and responsibilities of motherhood instead of these idealized judd apatoe fantasies. Getting rich from writing Sex in the City type self-help columns is another gag-worthy fantasy. This movie has is all, even a slutty virgin who dresses like a whore in nearly every scene, so, enjoy!

• A Nutshell Review: L!fe Happens

  DICK STEEL2012-06-02

  The title says it all, when precautions aren't taken and risks weren't evaluated, allowing the body to rule over the mind, and nine months later, life happens. As the premise goes, Kim (Krysten Ritter) decided to go ahead with her one night stand anyway when housemate and friend Deena (Kate Bosworth) took the last piece of latex to fuel her own carnal desires, and that lapse costs Kim dearly when she becomes mom to Baby Max (played by Connor and Zachary Ross). This becomes the comedic tale of single motherhood, friendship, romance and the likes, a pure chick flick that walks the path of one's horror story during a moment of indiscretion. Kim certainly isn't cut out to being a mother, clearly without a proper support structure in place save for housemates Deena and Laura (Rachel Bilson), who between them juggle time to take care of Max in what would be reminiscent of Three Men and a Baby. But of course this time juggle wrecks havoc on every one's lives especially when they're at the crossroads of their individual profession, and having baby at home means less time outside for nights out, Directed by Kat Coiro who co-wrote the story with Krysten Ritter, which they claim had a lot of their individual characters and traits put into the characters of Kim and Deena, Life Happens plays out the typical insecurities of the female, with the baby in it more for the gimmick. As the central character in which the film revolves around, Kim shows she's not all that perfect, willing to "disown" her child Max so that she could have a shot at establishing a new relationship with Nicolas (Geoff Stults) whom she met at a party, and learnt fleetingly of his disdain for kids. And seriously her character is not all that likable given that innate crutch to push Max to just about anyone to babysit, while she schemes to get laid, to put it crudely. While the film also tried to show the prejudices faced by single mothers and the many challenges they have to conquer, the story throws in Deena as the blonde who gets all the fun, with a career that is taking of, and almost always in control over the relationships with the opposite sex. And the scene during the double date was one of the best as it exposes just about how close and chummy both Kim and Deena are, and yet fully understanding each other's flaws and amplifying them just to spite the other. Cat fight, someone? The casting is a little bit strange and needed getting used to because each of them don't really look too comfortable in their roles. Krysten Ritter for the most parts looked like a dead ringer for Anne Hathaway, while Kate Bosworth struggles as the alpha-female Deena. Perhaps the most wasted of all characters here belonged to Rachel Wilson, who plays the bimbo with questionable careers that don't seem to last, present only to lend her star power, and to play up on her character's naivety during her reality show participation as America's Last Virgin. And with this being a chick flick, the male characters were nothing more than one dimensional caricatures mostly portrayed as perfect studs, or cads for not fulling understanding the plight of the woman. Don't look toward this film for that silver bullet instructional material on how to bring up a baby. It had some elements underlying its point that parenting is a full time job made all the more difficult when there is no support from a spouse, and literally sapping life out of oneself in the care and development of another human being. It's almost similar in treatment to another single mom film titled Motherhood starring Uma Thurman, but this one had a lot more characters involved in raising the baby, and having a bevy of good looking casts in a comedy always helps.

• A very very funny movie that is a lot like an Apatow movie. A little chick-flicky but men will like too. I did. I say B+

  cosmo_tiger2012-08-23

  "Nobody tells you it's gonna be so hard...Yes they do Kim, that's pretty much all people say." Kim (Ritter) and Deena (Bosworth) are best friends. They do everything together. One night when both bring home a guy they discover a problem. One year later they are still best friends but now Kim has a baby. Trying to balance work, friends and her love life all around being a single mother turns out to be harder then she expects. This is a very funny movie that is almost done like an Apatow movie. The dialog is very witty and hilarious and keeps you laughing throughout. The beginning of the movie made me feel (as a parent) a little annoyed at Kim. It felt like she considered the baby a burden and that she didn't really want him. Her feelings did change but that part did bug me a little. Other then that and the movie being a little predictable this was very very funny and I recommend this. You will not be disappointed. I do have to say that this is more on the "chick-flick" side of comedies this will appeal to both men and women. I laughed all the way through. Overall, if you like the Apatow movies you will like this one too. I give it a B+.

• Surprisingly likable and feel-good. I actually thought the girls did a good job with it as well

  sorozataddikt2013-12-28

  It showed up on my Netflix watchlist after devouring Krysten Ritter's two seasons of highly entertaining Don't trust the B in apartment 23. I was looking for a light girly movie and L!fe happens delivered. I thought the story was surprisingly decent, and Krysten, Kate and even Rachel were pretty good in their limited roles. I recommend it, it was quite funny, girly, and for me at least a little thought-provoking about single mothers without being too drama and tears about it. And of course all the girls look gorgeous even with baby puke on them :) Nice little movie about friendship, plans not working out, motherhood and happy endings.