kdesilv
This is a simple movie. Well played and not overly dramatic. The only reason that it got a 9 was the "director" scenes with the drug happy, poorly played character. Considering the depth of the concept the film would have been better suited to a more caring character. It attempted to be a moment of comedy in a moving subject matter. Overall, this is a great movie if you are feeling emotional and want to watch a simple story unfold just as you hope, with twists and turns that make you wish for a happy ending. Without needing a spoiler alert; this film pushes the envelope on the Caucasian assumptions that we can get pregnant when ever we are ready vs. the more realistic ethnicities that understand that babies are made when our bodies are ready, not our careers.
Andy (film-critic)
"Maybe Baby" had quite a bit of potential – let me quickly list them off – a cast that is dynamite when it comes to comedy; a story that had the potential to be quite humorous, hysterical in fact; the parody of Danny Boyle could have been blown up considerably – adding to the goofiness of the plot; and finally, let me add, the cast again – Emma Thompson, Rowan Atkinson, Dawn French, and Hugh Laurie are some of the best that Britain has to offer and are typically guaranteed to make anyone in their right mind laugh. This said, why did this film hit the ground at the fastest speed possible thoroughly, and painfully, hurting everyone in it's path. "Maybe Baby" is quite possibly one of the worst films that I have seen this year because it is the biggest disappointment with such potential that I have ever witnessed. Our story is simple to write down, but on screen it is utterly disastrous. The BBC wants to be more cutting edge, Sam and Lucy want children but cannot conceive (does anyone see the humor yet), so we combine the pair. Sam begins writing about his life with his wife, the trials and tribulations of medically attempting to conceive, mixed with funny jokes that somehow only make the cast members laugh. Lucy finds out the truth, Sam grows a beard, and the end – well, is everything one would expect from an American romantic comedy. No surprises. No laughter. No excitement. Overall, I have discovered an American Hollywood film trying to pass as British intelligence. I call it The "Maybe Baby" Conspiracy.I would like to begin this very negative review by saying Joely Richardson is by far one of the worst actresses I have witnessed in film. Maybe I haven't seen enough of her work to make that sort of comment, but after seeing "Maybe Baby", I feel confident in my response. Every scene was nothing but script reading and comic mis-timing. Nothing coming from her mouth seemed worth repeating or re-watching. She played the role of dumb blonde very, embarrassing, well. The scenes in which she has to show emotion was like watching cardboard try to cry, and that is not an over exaggeration. She attempts to show us a relationship with Sam (Hugh Laurie), but instead of a chemical romance, they seem to be enjoying the role of two actors playing a role. There is nothing to evoke emotion between the two of them. I didn't even think they were in "love" by the end of the film, they were a relationship of convenience and comfort. BEWARE! I need to add this about the remainder of the acting because this film may be misleading – Emma Thompson is in it for about three minutes, adding nothing of value or humor to the overall twist of the plot. Rowan Atkinson is a refreshing snack, but like everyone else, adds no meat to the film (it reminded me of Robin Williams in "Nine Months"). Then there is Dawn French – don't get me started here because it remains pitiful and a waste of talent. Coupled with the stagnet portrayals from the surrounding cast it just becomes a very painful moment in cinema as each minute passes.The plot is devastating. With a cliché storyline we already know how it will end and what the characters will be doing/reacting before they probably do, I would hope the typical British wit would resonate strongly with the actor's dialogue. That, alas, is missing from this film. We are bombarded with characters that care nothing about money, are emotionless unless forced to be, and driven by no inner motivation outside of the paycheck. The lyrics to this film are even painful. There were no funny, punny, or laughable moments throughout the course of this film, which irritated me to no end. With such a bold cast, I wanted to be rolling on the floor with hysterics, but alas, nothing happened. The stale emotion translated well into the stale voice being heard from each of the voided characters. I wanted charm, wit, talent, and appeal with this film. I wanted to prove that American dictatorship over film hadn't leaked into the BBC mainstream, but again – I couldn't believe that I was that wrong."Trainspotting" is a film that defined a nation and brought a new wave of cinema into our theaters. I don't think a horrid film like "Maybe Baby" has the right to poke fun at it. I don't mind intelligent hobnobbery, but with this film it was just plain rude to Danny Boyle.Overall, I cannot suggest this film to anyone even the most bland of comedy fans. Remember, if you choose to pick up this vile cinematic sludge, this is pre- "House" days, so do not see Laurie as what we Americans have come to expect from him. "Maybe Baby" is too big for its britches, as it tries to pack too much comedy into a nothingless film – thus transforming the comedy into a forgettable piece of garbage. There was nothing of value in this film, and while director Ben Elton has made his name in "Blackadder", I don't believe he has remembered much of his upbringing. After seeing this film, I would have to advise Elton to avoid working behind the cameras ever again. This was a very big disappointment for me as I had big hopes for this little film with big names.The subtitle for this film should be: Never Judge A DVD By Its Cover.Grade: * out of *****
sandamy27
This film was terrific. The charisma between Joely Richardson and Hugh Laurie is terrific and completely believable. The movie is so powerful however that I would only advise seeing it in the company of others if you have already achieved your family size. In other words, it would be a very painful movie to watch with someone who was having trouble with infertility. It's funny, but it's also very true. For me, it touched at the heart of all the issues involved in infertility. And Ms Richardson is a superb actress. I've also seen her at the Haymarket in Lady Windemere's Fan and she is an excellent performer.The semi-cameo (and slightly camp) performances by Dawn French, Joanna Lumley, Emma Thompson and Rowan Atkinson made for fun entertainment as well.
Simon Peters
Maybe Baby is a bitter, misogynistic, mess. It has all the drawbacks of cheapness in production, and an inexperienced director, though it had the benefit of, count 'em, FIVE producers! Elton has surrounded himself with the usual suspects in terms of cast; Emma Thompson and Dawn French both running madly amok, Joanna Lumley clearly unassisted by any direction, and Hugh Laurie and Rowan Atkinson both merely going through the motions. Atkinson in particular is very unfunny in a schoolboy's version of a gynaecologist, complete with vulgar asides and much gleeful flaunting of gynaecological instruments that look like instruments of torture.The unexpected bit of casting is Joely Richardson. She is beautiful and her beauty is exploited in a rather unpleasant voyeuristic way - it is difficult to see a woman undergoing various humiliations while trying and failing to get pregnant while the director still thinks it titillating to give us several peeks at her body. Most of the characters in the film are intended to be funny, but all are caricatures, with the exception of Joely Richardson. She is treated unsympathetically throughout and ends up paying for her inability to conceive by being made to appear not only foolish but unfaithful, until persuaded back to her abandoned husband by a toe curling section of romantic melodrama. The character of the film director is the least structured of the lot, starting out as a foul mouthed and completely implausible, Scottish yob, until the story demands that he become lovable, a task he fails to achieve with any conviction.It is difficult to believe that a film can be this bad. Maybe Baby? Maybe not.
