Expect the Expected

Having a child is one of those bittersweet moments often portrayed in movies in two forms – comedic, or plain horrifying. What to Expect When Expecting is both. There has been a steady growth of ensemble movies of late, each with varying success. There was New Year's Eve earlier this year, The Avengers raking up the numbers in theatres and The Expendables coming soon. What to Expect When Expecting however, falls somewhat into the 'New Year’s Eve’ category.



The film has a rather respectable cast list, which features Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Dennis Quaid, Elizabeth Banks and Chris Rock among others. The central topic here is obviously pregnancy and having a baby, and the film explores different scenarios revolving around these characters.



As a comedy it was funny at parts, though some characters more than others. Banks was one of the standouts, and was consistently funny throughout the movie. The film does however, explore very real issues, like adoption, miscarriage and having a first child.



If there is a real problem with the movie, it's consistency. Many jokes were flat-out cliché and unfunny, while the storytelling style was choppy, or might I say sitcom-ish.



The intertwining storylines could have been better woven, instead of having it seem as if someone was flipping through various television channels randomly. The ensemble cast, despite being likable, can't seem to hide this flaw.



So unless you’re a big fan of them, it’s best to wait for this flick to hit the small screen.



2 Stars out of 5