‘Friends with Kids’ explores the joys of parenting

Although the movie does capture this characteristic of parenting, it actually focuses on a concept that some may find controversial: two people who are friends, but not lovers, having a child together so they can experience the joys of parenthood without the perceived pains of a monogamous relationship.

The film starts with a cell phone ringing, and the clock reveals it is very early in the morning. Jason Fryman (Adam Scott of NBC’s “Parks and Recreation”) answers the call from Julie Keller (Jennifer Westfeldt, who also wrote and directed the film) asking him a joking question regarding ways he would prefer to die. Fryman’s response and the ensuing conversation immediately gives the audience the idea that Fryman and Keller are the best of friends and sets a comedic tone that is prevalent throughout the film.

Fryman and Keller make clear their parenting beliefs right from the onset: everyone is doing it wrong. Their mutual friends are two married couples, Alex (Chris O’Dowd) with Leslie (Maya Rudolph) and Ben (Jon Hamm) with Missy (Kristen Wiig), who have had tremendous problems keeping their lives together since they had children. Using their friends and the general American population as examples, Fryman and Keller determine that their concept of child rearing while in a polyamorous relationship is superior to the standard, monogamous relationships most couples in America culture choose. Their concept skips the fighting and the inevitable divorce and goes straight to a shared custody system. With Fryman being a sex addict, Keller’s biological clock ticking and both of them wanting kids, the decision to conceive was not difficult.

What is scary about this concept is that many Americans growing up in families torn apart by divorce relate to this situation and many viewers might see this system as a real solution to their problems. If Americans accept this concept as normal, then the institution of marriage and raising children as a loving couple could be at risk.

The experiment starts well when the pseudo-couple has a healthy baby boy. When their friends show up to a party to meet the baby, they are amazed to find a clean apartment, a happy mom and dad and an array of hors d’oeuvres that no new parent could possibly have had time to make.

Before long, Fryman meets a woman he falls for, a well-endowed dancer named Mary Jane (Megan Fox), who can do things in the bedroom he’s only dreamed of. When he tells Keller about his good fortune, she becomes jealous and the experiment begins to unravel. Suddenly, Keller doesn’t feel comfortable sharing her feelings with Fryman anymore.

This revelation showcased one of the surprising morals in the story, that honesty is critical in communication between any couple. When all the relationships in the film are pleasing and the characters are happiest is when everyone is being honest with each other. This “honesty is the best policy” theme was refreshing.

While the movie is steeped with laughs, there are many annoyances. Cell phones ring on more than one occasion, which is irritating. I nearly yelled, “Hey, turn off your phone,” but luckily realized it was coming from the movie.
My largest disagreement with the movie came from an idea of how parents should act with their children in public. In an early scene, the friends are gathered at a fancy restaurant where a couple seated behind Fryman and Keller has brought their clearly annoying children and Fryman complains to his group. Later in the movie, a similar situation happens while Fryman is on a date. This time though, Fryman begins to talk with the couple and has learned to sympathize with their situation. This is a terrible message to be sending to an audience. Restaurants are not playgrounds and parents should teach their children how to behave at home before exposing them to adult situations. Responsible parents find a babysitter if their children aren’t disciplined enough to sit still at a diner table. Believe me, no one really wants to be on a date and have mashed potatoes fly onto their clothes from another table.

The movie certainly is focused on the American ideology that parenting is an academy run by one or two people and it isn’t until nearly the end of the movie that even a glimpse of utilizing your extended family to give parents a break to live their lives is shown.

I would give this movie a B-. After looking past all of the annoyances, the script was well written and at times felt like it could be translated to a modern stage play. There is some nudity and most of the humor is adult. Seeing this movie would be a fun way to start a weekend with friends or for taking someone on a date you would want to talk about having kids with.

Advocate Staff