It's Complicated review

Nancy Meyers' fourth directional outing is her most mediocre to date. What Women want was moderately entertaining, Something's Gotta Give was very well acted and scripted whilst The Holiday featured Jude Law. Enough said.
It's Complicated is (like Something's Gotta Give) performed well and is observantly scripted. The difference here is the fact that it really isn't funny. In fact, it's borderline horrendous in places. Meryl Strep tries hard to inject humour into proceedings, giving a warm performance as Jane, a bakery owner who's life gets complicated when she begins an affair with her ex husband Jake (Alec Baldwin) but also falls for her architect Adam (Steve Martin.) Life gets worse when the two meet, and it's a battle of her gets Jane's love.
Nancy Meyers has again made a film about middle aged love, and it works fine, but once again, she makes these middle aged people gorgeous, with loads of cash, a nice house, great business and amazing skin. It's hard to sympathise with someone who has everything yet still wants more. Streep gives a solid performance (if not a patch on her performance in Julie and Julia) wholst Martin and Baldwin try hard with uneven roles. Baldwin comes off worse, as Jake is so unlikeable you just don't care about him. It's nice to see Martin get a role that isn't Inspector Clouseau, but he is presented as an obsessed, weeny man, and he has so little chemistry with Streep, whereas Streep and Baldwin have it in spades. This makes this part of the storyline less affecting.
The big problem here is the fact that nothing is very funny. John Krasinksi steals scenes with his role as the fiancee of Jane's daughter, but the jokes are spread so far that even he can't save face. And when did taking drugs become hilarious? Or nearly crashing your car? It's Meyers' lack of taste (and the fact that it's so unrealisitic and unlikeable) that makes It's Complicated so disappointing.
OVERALL GRADE: 5/10