3 Men and a Baby

Based on 1985’s Three Men and a Cradle, 3 Men and a Baby follows bachelors Peter (Tom Selleck), Michael (Steve Guttenberg), and Jack (Ted Danson) as they’re stuck caring for an infant left at their doorstep. Filmmaker Leonard Nimoy delivers a conventional yet mostly entertaining comedy that benefits substantially from the efforts of its charismatic stars, and it’s clear, as well, that the picture’s reliance on predictable elements (eg the men attempt to change a diaper for the first time) works better than one might’ve anticipated due to the solid efforts of Selleck, Guttenberg, and Danson. The fairly odd inclusion of a thriller-oriented subplot, involving ruthless criminals and a cache of heroin, prevents the picture from succumbing to a midsection lull, admittedly, and yet it’s not difficult to envision a version of the film with said subplot cleanly lifted right out of the narrative. By the time the feel-good conclusion rolls around, 3 Men and a Baby has certainly confirmed its place as a perfectly watchable and affable piece of work that does, generally, fare surprisingly well throughout.

*** out of ****