FOLIO
by Rick Grant
Although this scenario features a one note samba as its hook, it makes up for the lack of suspense with snappy dialogue written by Allan Loeb. The high level of excellent comedic acting by Jennifer Aniston as Kassie Larson and Jason Bateman as Wally Mars also holds the viewers’ interest. The laughs are sparse but come at peak moments in the script.
Stated differently, the cast and situations are wildly appealing. Aniston uses her skill at emoting to project a wide range of emotions as Kassie. She is a vivacious single woman who has not found Mr. Right. Her biological clock is ringing like Big Ben. So she decides to buy a guy’s sperm and have it inseminated at her peak ovulation to get pregnant.
Kassie’s best friend, Wally (Bateman) is a brilliant financial analyst who is neurotic, but listens to Kassie’s problems. Wally advises her to wait. She might meet the right guy after she is inseminated, which would be awkward, to say the least. But, her track record is not good with long-term relationships.
After conducting an exhaustive search, Kassie finds a charming and intelligent donor, Roland (Patrick Wilson) who is married and has his wife’s blessing. So, the big day arrives and Kassie decides to have a conception party. Wally and her other friends attend. Her gynaecologist is also there to perform the procedure . A misstep from Wally causes the specimum to spill, and not wanting to ruin Kassie’s big moment, Wally replaces the contents with his own.
Seven years pass, and out of the blue Wally gets a call from Kassie who is moving back to the city and wants to hook up. Her bright but weird kid is now six years old.
Directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck created a uncomplicated mosaic for their actors to work. Aniston and Bateman are showcased in most every scene as the story unfolds. The directors’ unpretentious camera work lets the cast tell the story, yet they established a solid sense of location.
When Wally meets Kassie’s son, they have an immediate connection. The boy really likes Wally and they form an instant bond. Kassie tells him she wants to meet Roland again who is now divorced.
This is not good news for Wally, who seeks advice from his colleague and friend Leonard (Jeff Goldblum) who tells him he has to tell her about his feelings for her. Otherwise, he will always be an outsider.
Then Wally’s worst fear comes true. Kassie is having a relationship with Roland, who takes her to his getaway cabin in upstate New York. Wally keeps trying to tell Kassie about his feeling and what happened that night of the insemination party, but Kassie is always too distracted to hear what he has to say.
Yes, the movie is predictable but so well done, it’s an uplifting viewing experience. Anything with Jennifer Aniston is usually worth seeing and this film is no exception. And, Jason Bateman’s acting in this picture is exemplary and he has great chemistry with Aniston.
Follow FOLIO!