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20 out of 21 people found the following review useful: A Classic of the Era, 18 June 2005 Author: duanem from Seattle, WA
I actually saw this film in the theaters (one of a handful of people in the world, I believe). Most people weren't prepared for John Hughes to break into more grown-up fare after his successful films about teens (Ferris Bueller, Pretty in Pink, etc.), and this film's failure (along with the failure of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles) forced Hughes into making commercially successful but artistically bankrupt crap like Home Alone.Although I was in college when the film came out, I instantly fell in love with the story of this fictionalized version of Hughes own early married life. Kevin Bacon did some of his best work in this film, and Elizabeth McGovern is simply radiant as the "she" of the title. Alec Balwdin is thin and disgusting as the "best friend" who has an unrequited lust for his pal's wife.Filled with surreal moments (which are par for the course today, in shows like Scrubs) where Bacon's character imagines his response (or the response of others) to various situations, several stand out. The wonderful suburban lawnmower scene, the moment when he imagines his in-laws giving sex advice ("Get your butt a little higher, Jake!"), etc.As a young father, I have felt everything Jake felt as they ventured into parenthood. Fear, wonder, and a weird sense of losing your wife's body to something you don't quite understand. And as funny as the film is, it is also quite poignant at moments and full of heart.The use of classic late 80's bands (a Hughes specialty) is excellent and quite extensive. Gene Loves Jezebel, Love and Rockets, XTX, Bryan Ferry, Everything But the Girl, and Kate Bush (whose song is used most effectively to tug at heart strings) are all used to highlight, comment on, and bring the story to life.Highly recommended and easily Hughes' most heartfelt film.
9 out of 11 people found the following review useful: Charismatic Stars and Imaginative Ideas meld effortlessly..., 30 November 2005 Author: Isaac5855 from United States
SHE'S HAVING A BABY was an imaginative and charming 1988 comedy that follows a young couple from courtship through parenthood via some amusing vignettes and clever fantasy sequences that effectively break the fourth wall and constantly remind us that we are watching a movie, but this idea is set up from the beginning through the narration and internal fantasies of lead character Jefferson "Jake" Briggs (Kevin Bacon, in his most appealing post-FOOTLOOSE role). Becon's chemistry with the lovely Elizbath McGovern (whatever happened to her?) is undeniable and early into the film you really find yourself rooting for this couple. Alec Baldwin had one of his best early roles here as Jake's slightly slimy college buddy. There a lot of very funny and imaginative scenes in the film, which are mostly a product of Jake's mind, which I found kind of novel for a John Hughes film...love the production number with the lawn mowers and Jake's in-laws coaching him on what to do during sex, not to mention's Jake's internal re-writing of his wedding vows. Both Holland Taylor and the late Cathryn Damon score as Jake and Christy's moms and William Windom is amusing as Christy's dad, who cuts Jake no slack whatsoever. I think I liked this movie better than the average viewer...maybe because I really like Kevin Bacon and he's practically in every scene, but I think even for non-Bacon fans, there are smiles, chuckles, and warm fuzzy feelings to be found by taking in the story of Jake and Kristy Briggs.
10 out of 13 people found the following review useful: Married life from a man's perspective., 12 May 2004 Author: Pepper Anne from Orlando, Florida
She's Having a Baby is very much like Kevin Bacon's later film, 'He Said, She Said,' in which moments of a story are articulated from the perspective of each gender. But while 'He Said, She Said,' provided humorous views of love and life from both the shovinist male and the over-confident female, 'She's Having a Baby' provides only the perspective of one person: a very nervous and doubting husband. It is interesting to me, at least, as there are few movies which dedicate the entire experience of married life solely to the male perspective, and I suppose that John Hughes, the film's writer and director, is telling the story from his own personal experiences, fears, expectations, and other approaches to his life as a husband and father.I have always like John Hughes work, and despite some of the sexism and cliches that the story deals with, it is an entertaining film about newlyweds unsure about whether getting married was a good idea, but discovering in the end, that despite the obstacles ahead of them, they actually find that married life (and soon, parenthood), can actually quite a wonderful thing. Jake Briggs (Bacon) marries his high school sweetheart, Kristi (McGovern), his love at first sight. The movie introduces us to Jake who is preparing himself (and simultaneoulsy doubting himself) to walk down the isle and declare himself a married man. But for Jake, somehow saying I do, was the point of no return, and his relationship to Kristi (and his perception of her) drastically changes once they officially carry on together as a married couple. Jake finds disatisfaction with his work as an advertising agent (aspiring instead to be a writer, but always being told that it just wasn't going to happen), with the drone life in the suburbs (a typical John Hughes theme), and even gets tempted with indescretions as he meets a woman at a bar who tests his faithfulness to Kristi. For Jake, it seems like the single life had a lot more to offer in both independce as well as his love for Kristi, even to the point that he tries to convince his bachelor friend, Davis (played by that hubba, hubba actor, Alec Baldwin), that he need not be unmarried to enjoy himself. In fact, things start to change for Jake, as he starts to grow accustomed to marriage and finds that the situation isn't as bad as he imagined. When his wife Kristi becomes pregnant and there are complications during the pregnancy, Jake is forced to consider whether he would give it all up. And in that time, he realizes, that he actually doesn't hate it at all. That there are things there that he can adjust (by way of work, we see later that he does take it upon himself to do some writing), and with his relationship to his wife, and hell, even the in-laws. It's hard to say, but folks who are married and who have gone through that 'moment of truth' at some point in their relationship (if at all), must know how that feels. And from the look on Jake's face, it must feel pretty good to realize how lucky a person can be to share that with somebody else.There are some problems with the characters, such as Kristi always been made out as this bossy, detached spouse of Jake's. One viewer wrote that she was often depicted as selfish, and while I agree that it is an unfair assessment of Kristi (who could not have been this way all the time--you have to watch the movie to see), it was also meant to be portrayed from the husbands point of viewed. Therefore, we get the subjective view of the husband, and not the objective view of what we may consider Kristi to be (because nearly the whole movie is told from Jefferson's viewpoint). The story is also stereotypical in some of it's assertions about marriage and work and the like. But I think that the movie still offers some good humor, and is certainly one for John Hughe's fans to see, before he gave up writing and directing teen movies--the 80s films prior to She's Having a Baby, and went on to make children and family films--mostly all of his films made after 1989. And fans of Kevin Bacon are sure to enjoy the movie as well. It's not fantastic, and I'll admit, I never got through watching it the first time. But I gave it a few years and tried again, and though it isn't a great movie, it is one that I would recommend trying out.
6 out of 6 people found the following review useful: An absolute gem of a film., 30 July 2002 Author: moveefrk from Brooklyn, N.Y.
I would go on record to say that John Hughes' "She's Having A Baby" is by far the best film he's ever done -- and this from the man responsible for those giddy teen comedies from the '80's (i.e. BREAKFAST CLUB, SIXTEEN CANDLES, FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF).It's ironic that his best work would be about grownups, or in this case, growing up. Jake and Kristi (played superbly by Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern), are indeed, your average married couple going through the same problems most married people do, and most kids their age would be sidestepping. But Hughes adds more dimension and more insight, and in spite of the laughs (which there are, by the way) and even some silly sequences,he still wrings out an air of truth.Sadly, this film flopped at the B.O. in it's initial release back in 1988, but then why carp about performance. "SHAB" is a quiet gem of a film to be appreciated by the few that appreciate good filmmaking.Grade: A-
6 out of 7 people found the following review useful: Fun and enjoyable. Bacon is a blast here., 30 May 2000 Author: Raymond Tan from Singapore
It's difficult not to like this John Hughes movie which explores the relationship between Jefferson Briggs (Bacon) and Kristy (McGovern) from their wedding day till their baby's birth. The movie centers around how Bacon matures to become a responsible family man. The movie is portrayed through the eyes of new graduate Briggs and the audience moves along with his fears, plight and fortunes. Although not entirely original, there are moments throughout that you will empathize and laugh along with, mainly because we all went through this before. This is one of Hughes' definitive films from the 1980s and the music accompanying the movie is great, from Gene Loves Jezebel to Everything But The Girl and Kate Bush. Bacon is hilarious and McGovern gives an understated but effective performance as the wife determined to have a baby. Alec Baldwin is brilliant as Davis McDonald, the devilish best friend of Bacon who tries to dissuade him out of marriage. There are genuinely funny moments that pepper this movie throughout and makes it really delightful. There are the "high-brow" critics who slag this movie off. Don't be influenced by their views. This is an endearing and enjoyable movie.
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful: He's Having An Early Mid-Life Crisis, 14 July 2007 Author: Smile_U_SOB from Fang, Utah
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
...Would be a more fitting title for this movie. And I really liked the movie. It just wasn't about a baby, and it wasn't about his wife. She's a secondary character, if that. It's all about Kevin Bacon's character who is a ad-man who wants to be a professional writer, but his wife, and the beautiful home in the suburbs and all its dreary perfection, is bringing him down. As are his in-laws, his player best buddy (Alec Baldwin in his thin days), and a dream-girl who seemingly wants to seduce him. This film is really about the struggle and the temptation of a guy who has everything, but doesn't know if he wants it. There are some incredible, creative scenes. One showing how his office literally closing in on him; another showing a picture of his father-in-law smiling as he's looking at it; then he says something to the picture (as if speaking to it) and the picture has changed to where the father-in-law has a shocked expression. There's one homage to "Psycho" where the wife throws "the pill" down the drain; you get a shot of the water going down the drain which then slowly dissolves to her eye. And there's a musical sequence with suburbanites mowing their lawns whilst dancing and singing that is hilarious when taken in its context; but if you were to see this sequence out of context, you'd think it's gonna be a horrible film. Anyhow, this movie is all about the husband. They show the wife having the baby at the very end, and things get complicated and that's when he realizes how much he loves her... brooding in the waiting room like the character from Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms". But you really don't feel that he ever really loved her in the first place. That's the only fault I can give this film. The rest of it is creative and totally entertaining.
4 out of 5 people found the following review useful: romantic comedy, 15 March 2006 Author: kdohio from United States
I love this movie. One of my all time favorites! This movie is realistic and very moving. It portrays a married couple that goes through a lot of changes and moments through a married life together. And in the mean time its a romantic comedy with a touch of drama that everybody can relate to in one way or another in their married life and starting a family. The movie is cute, funny, and very touching. I would recommend it to anyone! There is hardly any harsh language or nudity in it. All the actors and actresses that played in this movie were very good. If you like this movie I would recommend "Nine Months", "The Family Man", "My Big Fat Greek Wedding".
2 out of 2 people found the following review useful: Hughes a little too flippant, 26 August 2008 Author: gcd70 from Melbourne, Australia
This is definitely not John Hughes' genre. In his attempt to tackle this weighty subject, he has created a flippant, misfired show about life-time commitments. Hughes just can't stay serious about serious. There is not enough humour in here to make this a successful comedy, and the poignancy at crucial points is missing (so much potential in this area). Too many scenes shoot wide of the mark.Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern are both likable and they make a cute couple, but the former has gone on to stronger roles and the latter; whatever did happen to Elizabeth McGovern?Chicago is of course the setting, and Hughes employs the usual pop soundtrack (from former "Police" guitarist Stewart Copeland).PS Stay tuned for the end credits when a crowd of Hughes' friends drop by.Monday, January 26, 1998 - Video
2 out of 2 people found the following review useful: Saved by the ending, 8 January 2008 Author: cwhitfield from London
Let's face it. it's not the most original premise of a young guy marrying young who goes through an early life crises. Yet the film reaches a sweetness that never turns into sickly. Whilst I think the screenplay could've been tighter and the script is not nearly up to the usual John Hughes banter; the picture is adequate due to the oh so natural performances of Kevin Bacon and the neglected Alec Baldwin. But it is not these two that saves this picture. What saves this picture is the final montage to the backing of Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work" which intertwined with Bacon's brilliant expression of emotion makes your heart skip a beat. I have never been in love nor had a baby but that scene hit me like a tonne of bricks and the film becomes watchable if only for that.
4 out of 6 people found the following review useful: The Hughes series continues..., 10 February 2004 Author: Pookyiscute from Nyiregyhaza, Hungary
So, I guess if I were at gunpoint, I would choose this as being my second favorite film in the Hughes lineup. He has made so many good movies, it's hard to pick just one as your favorite, but this is definitely a close second to The Breakfast Club. Kevin Bacon plays a writer just out of college trying to support his newly wedded wife, while at the same time working for some sort of ad agency, and trying to write his first book. Throughout the movie, it's him narrarating his life from the start of his wedding until the end of the movie...His wife, however, decides that she's ready for a baby. He on the other hand, does not really get as excited about the idea as she does. The entire movie is set up from his point of view, and he sees the world through his eyes, and a lot of 'what ifs' start to boggle his mind. His confusion and dry humor make it a great classic, and a great watch for anyone. A fun piece of movie trivia...in the movie 'Trains, Planes, and Automobiles' Steve Martin's wife in the movie, lays awake late one night watching a movie on T.V. If you listen closely to what they're saying, it's a scene from 'She's Having a Baby'. The scene when Kevin Bacon and his on screen wife are having a fight. A fun little movie fact for you.I hope you'll see it if you haven't. And if you already did, you're smart. And if you saw it and didn't like it, well, then....there we are.I give this movie, a 10 out of 10. A great movie, to be seen by all!And that's the end of my review.
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