Baby Mama MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +2 Content: +1/2

Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Greg Kinnear, Dax Shepard, Romany Malco, Maura Tierney, Holland Taylor and Sigourney Weaver. Written and Directed by Michael McCullers.

FILM SYNOPSIS: Successful and single businesswoman Kate Holbrook (Tina Fey) has long put her career ahead of a personal life. Now 37, shes finally determined to have a kid on her own. But her plan is thrown a curve ball after she discovers she has only a million-to-one chance of getting pregnant. Undaunted, the driven Kate allows South Philly working girl Angie Ostrowiski (Amy Poehler) to become her unlikely surrogate. Simple enough

After learning from the steely head (Sigourney Weaver) of their surrogacy center that Angie is pregnant, Kate goes into precision nesting mode: reading childcare books, baby-proofing the apartment and researching top pre-schools. But the executives well-organized strategy is turned upside down when her Baby Mama shows up at her doorstep with no place to live.

An unstoppable force meets an immovable object as structured Kate tries to turn vibrant Angie into the perfect expectant mom. In a comic battle of wills, they will struggle their way through preparation for the babys arrival. And in the middle of this tug-of-war, theyll discover two kinds of family: the one youre born to and the one you make.

PREVIEW REVIEW: When attending a screening, the professional film reviewer must remain open, an exponent for the promise of movies theory. He must leave all prejudice at the boxoffice. The trailers for upcoming releases are a different matter. Thats when we can go all Addison DeWitt (the cynical critic in All About Eve). And thats just what I and my colleagues in criticism did when we saw the commercial for Baby Mama. We could see every joke coming and cringed at the bevy of crude visuals, such as Amy Poehler crouched upon the bathroom sink, declaring that the toilet doesnt work. But I couldnt take my hastily formed opinion into the screening. Of course, by now, Id have to be an idiot to think that former members of Saturday Night Live would do a movie comedy sans crude humor.

Tiny Fey is as sharp as a comic writer can come and Amy Poehler astounds with her sketch characterizations. These are two funny women (cynical, coarse and irreverent, but funny). The movie is not. Funny, that is. Cynical, coarse and irreverent, yes, but funny, no. Both Fey and Poehler are overworked, doing everything from credit card commercials to hit TV series to supporting cameos in all their buddies movies. They grab every project, knowing their days in the glow of Hollywoods spotlight are limited. But their choices are not always wise.

Oh, sure, there are some laughs, but the humor never strays far from the bathroom. And when it does, it seems nearly as tired as the expressions on the leads faces. But worse yet, Tiny Fey is just not a very good actress. I understand that this time of the year is not yet reserved for Oscar attention. But this one couldnt even get MTVs attention.

DVD Alternatives: The Odd Couple. A very funny Neil Simon comedy about two very different men (Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau) sticking together out of necessity.

or

Enchanted April. A delightful fable about four women in 1920s London escaping inattentive husbands and repressed lifestyles by renting a castle in Portofino. They soon discover the estate has a magical effect on all those who stay there. Witty dialogue, dreamy cinematography, and savory performances from Joan Plowright, Polly Walker and the rest of the cast.

Preview Reviewer: Phil Boatwright
Distributor: Universal