The Back-up Plan Review

So tell me girls, do you have a back-up plan? Have you given any thought to what you’ll do if 40 slaps you in the face while the search for the ‘one’ is still underway? What if you’re already over 40, what then? The Back-up Plan starring Jennifer Lopez and Alex O’Loughin is a romantic comedy that sheds a bit of light on these questions and is quite possibly the best romcom of 2010 so far… Check out our written and video review live from the UK pre-screening at Sony Studio’s London below:

The Plot

Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) is an average New York gal in a job she adores and surrounded by a circle of friends and family who love her, but something is missing. Almost facing forty head-on, Zoe has failed to find Mr Right and becomes overwhelmed by the ticking of her body clock. Luckily, as a ‘planner’, she decides to pursue her brilliant Back-up Plan – starting her own family without the assistance of a man. Just moments after she sets her Back-up Plan in motion, Zoe unexpectedly bumps into Stan (Alex O’Loughlin) who turns her perfect plans upside down. Zoe experiences life’s ‘big moments’ in reverse in a fantastically-funny and heart-warming romantic comedy that will have you both laughing out loud and wiping away your tears – providing cinematic proof that life doesn’t always go the way you’ve planned….

The Worst

I know it’s just a movie but there’s a handful of extremely unrealistic and positively irritating moments in the film that bring on an itch to do some bitch slapping. Zoe’s perfect lip gloss throughout the whole film just makes me want to scream and don’t even get my started on wearing heels whilst heavily pregnant…who does that?! There was seemingly a lack of pregnancy stages too – no feeling the baby’s kick, and Zoe seems to hop through her pregnancy in 3 stages which was a little disappointing. Finally, despite Stan being extremely hot, his character is largely underdeveloped in my opinion, in terms of his own friends and family but hey, did I mention he’s hot?!

The Best

I know there’s real mixed feelings about Jennifer Lopez’s movies but I can definitely confirm that JLO has done both herself and the movie proud. Even the sceptics out there will be pleasantly surprised by her endearing and believable portrayal of Zoe. If you’re not a big JLO fan, you’ll certainly fall in love with love-interest Stan, he’s unbelievably charming, caring and sexy to the point where you want to ditch your significant other and embark on a quest for this perfect male specimen. Unfortunately for us, this is just a film and we have to remember that – so no drastic relationship decisions after watching The Back-up Plan please ladies! Without giving away too much there’s a particular topless sweaty scene that will have your fingers clawing into the side of the sofa in a positively feral fashion…I kid you not! Aside from the distracting man-candy, the movie in general had me laughing out loud and I even shed a tear or two, and to feel that kind of emotion during a film these days means it’s certainly something worth raving about.

The Verdict

The Back-up Plan beautifully portrays that no matter how much we make plans, the wind inevitably changes – and our lives with it.

Credits

For help with the video our thanks go out to Rebecca at Bitch Buzz, Lizzie from the Daily Mail, Lucie Bartlett, Sarah from The Loves and Life of a London Girl, Charlotte (Author of It’s Not Me It’s You), Sabina from London City Mum, Julie Bodart and finally the genius Zoe Margolis from Girl With A One Track Mind. Also of course, thanks to Sony Pictures for the kind invitation.