If you liked Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner or Maid in Manhattan, then you’ll surely like The Back-up Plan. It follows a satisfying romantic comedy formula, even if it doesn’t offer up anything terribly exciting and new. It’s sweet, has moments that any single, married, or relationship-challenged adult should be able to identify with, cringe at, and laugh at. And it features a really cute leading man in Alex O’Loughlin.

J-Lo plays Zoe, an attractive single woman who desperately wants to have a baby but hasn’t found her “Mister Right.” So she decides to go the single-mother route and get artificially inseminated. And wouldn’t ya know it – no sooner does she have the procedure, then she meets the man of her dreams in Stan (O’Loughlin), a sensitive, sexy goat-cheese maker.

The two hook up and Zoe throws up… and well, you know what that means. Zoe is indeed pregnant, with twins no less. The rest of the movie is standard chick flick fare… they break up, make up, have misunderstandings that lead to another break-up, get lots of unsolicited advice about love, relationships and parenthood, and (spoiler alert) make up again.

The movie has all the usual suspects in the token supporting roles, including Zoe’s commitment-shy grandma (Linda Lavin of Alice fame) and the guy she’s been engaged to for 22 years, Arthur (Tom Bosley of Happy Days fame). So if you grew up watching tv in the ‘70s, prepare to feel very old! Also, Robert Klein is entertaining in his small but comical role as Zoe’s gynecologist.

Bottom line: If you don’t like romantic comedies as a general rule, then definitely skip this one. But if you’re in the mood for a mindless chick flick that doesn’t require a box of Kleenex, The Back-up Plan could fit the bill.

One thought on “The Back-up Plan”
  1. Linda Lavin and Tom Bosley! As grandparents…wow, I feel old. I’m not sure about JLo, but the previews for this movie look kinda cute.

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