She’s Having a Baby

Directed by John Hughes, She’s Having a Baby follows Kevin Bacon’s Jake and Elizabeth McGovern’s Kristen as they attempt to settle into married life and, eventually, have a child. Filmmaker Hughes, armed with his own screenplay, delivers a relentlessly erratic drama that’s rarely as compelling or engrossing as one might’ve anticipated, as the movie, particularly in its freewheeling first half, suffers from an arms-length feel that stems from its underdeveloped characters and overuse of imaginary sequences – with the former certainly reflected in the one-note, one-dimensional treatment of both Bacon and McGovern’s respective figures. (Kristen fares especially poorly, ultimately, as she generally comes off as shrill and unpleasant.) There’s little doubt, then, that She’s Having a Baby benefits from Hughes’ stylish visuals and smattering of effective, truthful episodes (eg Jake’s brutally honest conversation about happiness with a coworker), and it’s clear, as well, that the picture builds towards a final third mercifully stripped of the opening hour’s grating irreverence – which, when coupled with a legitimately moving climax, cements the film’s place as a watchable yet undeniably disappointing endeavor from Hughes.

**1/2 out of ****