Friends with Kids brings back familiar faces from Bridesmaids — Kristen Wiig, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph, and Chris O’Dowd. But this time, the pairings are different, and so is the story. In this universe, Wiig stays with Hamm, and Rudolph is married to O’Dowd instead. Also released in 2011, Friends with Kids follows thirtysomething best friends Julie (Jennifer Westfeldt) and Jason (Adam Scott) who are watching their married friends struggle through the chaos of raising kids. The horned-up Ben (Hamm) and Missy (Kristen) now hurl the meanest insults at each other, while the lovely dovey Leslie (Rudolph) and Alex (O’Dowd) are living in a messy tornado that is their house.
Determined to avoid the same fate, Julie and Jason come up with what they think is a genius, progressive, and fuss-free plan: have a child together platonically, skipping the romance, and keep dating in search of “the one.” But with the bliss of parenting in motion, Julie and Jason’s feelings for each other evolve. At its core, Friends with Kids is a sweet but mostly realistic portrayal of the ups and downs of love and parenting.
What is ‘Friends with Kids’ About?
Friends with Kids is primarily told through the eyes of Jason and Julie, the only two singles in their group of six. With the rest of the crew married and tied to the chaos of parenthood, the two Js realize that with the clock ticking, it’s high time they have children. The problem is, they’re not done with dating. In an absurd scheme, the two decide to have a child together just to “get it out of the way.” Once their son is born and everything’s settled in, Jason and Julie can co-parent, all while returning to the dating pool. As the two care for the baby lovingly, Julie starts to see Jason in a new light as a father. To Julie, he was incapable of loving selflessly, but now she sees he can. But Jason has yet to feel the same romantic way for Julie. Their maybe, yes, no connection becomes the basis of the movie, and viewers get to witness how their relationship changes as their child grows up.
Adam Scott Plays the Ultimate New York Playboy Gone Soft
In Friends with Kids, Scott plays the quintessential New York playboy. But, as with many of Scott’s roles, there’s always more beneath the surface. Think back to his turn as Ben Wyatt in Parks and Recreation. He may have been introduced as the passive-aggressive state auditor, but over time, he transformed into the adorkable fan favorite who falls head-over-heels for the enthusiastic Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler). Or take his most haunting performance to date: Mark Scout in Severance. What begins as a man hollowed out by grief becomes a slow-burning rebellion against a corporate machine.
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“I don’t associate with people who blame the world for their problems.”
Circling back to Friends with Kids, Scott’s playboy doesn’t equate to bad behavior. Sure, he intentionally goes for women with big chests, but his innate compassion becomes his saving grace. Even though he doesn’t have feelings for Julie in the beginning, he still takes the responsibility of fatherhood seriously. The two ensure they have a fair shot at getting back into the dating pool postpartum. His womanizing persona isn’t rooted in selfishness, but in confusion. He’s not chasing endless flings; he’s searching for connection. What he doesn’t realize is that love might not be something out there to find, but someone already in his life.
There’s No Such Thing as Perfect Parents in ‘Friends with Kids’
Two other couples in the movie show the realities of parenting. Missy and Ben start out as a passionate pair who can’t keep their hands off each other, at least before the baby arrives. Under the pressure of parenting, Missy gradually detaches from the marriage, while Ben has no issue airing their dirty laundry. Meanwhile, Leslie and Alex are trapped in the chaos of raising two rowdy toddlers in their perpetually messy Brooklyn home.
However, Friends with Kids isn’t here to scare anyone away from having children. Like any major life change, there are going to be highs and lows. Children can bring immense joy, but they also require parents to adapt. Jason and Julie choose to co-parent as best friends, a decision met with skepticism from their peers. Leslie and Alex, who look like they’re barely holding it together, find love in each other’s flaws. Missy and Ben, who realize they only love each other through the good times and crumble when things get hard, are prompted to make a difficult yet necessary decision.
Friends with Kids is a reflection of adulthood. Marriage and parenting look different for everyone, whether you approach it with a plan or simply figure it out as you go. Most of the time, it’s survival mode, all while finding small, beautiful moments in the mess. And sometimes, love isn’t about the endless chase of finding “the one.” It’s in the everyday, the familiar, and the quiet connection that’s been there all along.
Friends with Kids
- Release Date
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March 9, 2012
- Runtime
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100 minutes
- Director
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Jennifer Westfeldt
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