A complicated romance

No one laughs as much as Meryl Streep’s Jane Adler, the protagonist of this rom-com-with-a-twist. That is, except for the audience, who really has no choice but to laugh when Alec Baldwin, as Jane’s ex-husband Jake Adler, plops his hairy-chested, pot-bellied, and nearly naked self in front of Web cam trained on Jane’s new lover, Adam (Steve Martin).

There are no body doubles here, and this kind of physical honesty is nice coming from a Hollywood film. The story, while nothing new in the world of chick flicks for the older crowd, is also honest as it depicts the mental gymnastics of a divorcee trying to navigate the complications of a 10-year-post-split fling with her former husband.

Baldwin turns in a dryly comedic performance in a character he’s become quite accustomed to portraying: upper class, middle-aged womanizer, and Streep is, as always, full of class and talent. Martin gets in a few funny moments, but mostly his character Adam is a pathetic foil to the suave Jake.

And while I liked “It’s Complicated,” perhaps just as important is the fact that my mother liked it, which is something to consider for the long, family interaction-filled days ahead.