Maybe Baby (2000)

Director:

Ben Elton

Writer:

Ben Elton (written by)

Release Date:

24 August 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

A comedy about a couple (Hugh Laurie and Joely Richardson) who are trying to conceive a child.

Plot Keywords:

Infertility | Childless Couple | Adaptation Directed By Original Author | William Tell Overture | Based On Novel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Joely Richardson	...	Lucy Bell
Matthew Macfadyen	...	Nigel
Hugh Laurie	...	Sam Bell
Adrian Lester	...	George
Yasmin Bannerman	...	Melinda
Joanna Lumley	...	Sheila
Rachael Stirling	...	Joanna
Dave Thompson	...	Dave the Comedian / Mrs. Furblob
Emma Thompson	...	Druscilla
Stephen Simms	...	Trevor
John Brenner	...	Kit
Jaz Wilson	...	Baby Cuthbert
James Purefoy	...	Carl Phipps
Guy Barrett	...	Nigel's Posse
Deila Bhujoo	...	Nigel's Posse

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

104 min | Germany:96 min (TV version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Denmark:7 | France:U | Germany:12 | New Zealand:M | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | USA:R | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Albert Bridge, Battersea, London, England, UK

Company:

Pandora Cinema

Trivia:

Emma Thompson only worked a day.

Goofs:

Continuity: About 34 minutes into the film, there is a scene in a restaurant. In one shot, there is a waitress at the table, and another one setting down plates at a table in the background. The camera cuts away for less than two seconds upon th arrival of a character, then cuts back, but with both waitress prematurely gone.

Quotes:

Mr. James: Mr. Puter here is a medical student. You don't mind if he observes, do you?
Lucy Bell: [voice-over] Oh, no there's nothing I like more than a gaumless, adolescent youth peering into my splayed vagina!
[out loud]
Lucy Bell: No, not at all.

Movie Connections:

References "The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer" (1993)

Soundtrack:

All I Need

Hmmm.......

This romantic comedy lost its way a bit leaving it only partly romantic and I'm afraid not always very funny. There are a few shots at Auntie (the BBC for our overseas readers) and several very good lines though some may be very familiar to those who have seen writer Ben Elton's stand up show or his BBC series.

A full cast of 80s alternative comedians makes their appearance, Emma Thompson almost looking identical to her mother in 'Saving Grace' in her mad hippie cameo and Dawn French affecting a bizarre Aussie accent as a nurse.

Hugh Laurie does well as always in his role as a sort of alternative 90s Cary Grant and James Purefoy will get most people's juices running (cf. the line by Joanna Lumley's character quoted in an earlier comment) but all in all this just wasn't funny enough, I don't know why, perhaps there were just too many targets.

Only 6/10 from me I'm afraid.