Customer Reviews

Baby Boom (Widescreen)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I like actress Diane Keaton and I liked Baby Boom and thought it was a cute story, she plays a workaholic go getter businesswoman who inherits a relatives baby and she is not very maternal and really knows nothing about children but over time grows very attached to the baby and learns how to take care of her and love her and also learns to not be so consumed with her work and her own problems. If you like this type of movie then I think you will probably like Baby Boom and I recommed you rent this and if you like it you might want to add it to your collection.

As anyone who has walked a mile or two knows, life is about choices and making decisions. And a lot of that has to do with realizing and setting priorities, because-- as a wise person once said-- You Can't Have It All. It's the lesson we all learn in our own way in our own time, according to our own personal situation, and director Charles Shyer examines one of them in his amiable comedy, "Baby Boom," starring Diane Keaton.

J.C. Wiatt (Keaton) is a high-powered businesswoman on the fast track to success; she knows what she wants, has set her priorities, and a partnership in the firm for which she works is on the horizon. Her live-in significant other, Steven (Harold Ramis), is of a like mind-set, so they complement one another's life style perfectly. Marriage and/or having children is in neither of their respective vocabularies. then one day, J.C. "inherits" a baby, the child of a distant relative (a cousin she'd met only once) who has been killed in a tragic accident, and suddenly, J.C.'s world is turned upside down. Keeping the baby is out of the question, of course. Or is it? For J.C., it just may not be as simple as it seems, initially. She's been living life on her own terms, but now she is once again faced with choices, decisions and setting priorities. And along the way, she learns one of life's most important lessons: The fact that the lesson never ends.

There's some amusing moments and some insights to be gleaned from Shyer's film, and overall it's a pleasant, enjoyable experience. It is not, however, an entirely original idea, and Shyer laces it with stereotypes and cliches to boot. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though. If his characters are stereotypical, it's because they reflect a certain realism. J.C.'s boss, Fritz Curtis (Sam Wanamaker), for instance, typifies the image of a dedicated, hard-core businessman whom you get the feeling has to consult his day planner to work in an appointment with his own family. A stereotype? Perhaps. A reflection of reality? Definitely. The same can be said for Sam Shepard's character, Dr. Jeff Cooper, who personifies the general image of one in his situation. And again, it is a reflection of reality, stereotypical though it may be.

Even the cliches are handled in a way that makes them fresh enough to work within the context of the story, and be appreciated-- especially by those in the audience who may have experienced any of the situations presented here. When J.C. fumbles with a diaper and becomes frustrated with her own inexperience and incompetence with such things, it's cliche, but it also rings true-to-life. The important thing is, it's all well presented and actually pretty funny stuff, even if it isn't anything new.

Shyer wrote the screenplay, along with Nancy Meyers, and one angle they may have failed to cultivate fully has to do with Ken, the character played by James Spader. As J.C.'s in-house adversary, also striving to climb the corporate ladder, it may have been intrinsically more interesting had the character been a woman. The fact that Ken is a man, again, makes this particular situation fairly cliche; whereas a competitive conflict with another woman, considering J.C.'s predicament, would have expanded the avenues of possibility to a much greater extent, and certainly would have provided a more imaginative perspective.

The main reason the film works as well as it does, however, is because of the engaging performance by Diane Keaton. In J.C., she creates the antithesis of Annie Hall, but even at her most demanding there is a hint of vulnerability in J.C., a softness to that hard exterior edge she uses to shoulder her way through the business world. Keaton gives you a real sense of the conflict she's experiencing, and though it's lightheartedly rendered for the most part, you understand the underlying seriousness of it all. And the scene in which she vents her frustrations and bares her soul to Dr. Cooper is classic. Keaton's work is without question the highlight of the film, and what really brings it to life.

The supporting cast includes Pat Hingle (Hughes Larabee), Britt Leach (Verne), Kim Sebastian (Robin), Mary Gross) Charlotte, Patricia Estrin (Secretary)Victoria Jackson (Eve), Jane Elliot (Park Mom) and Linda Ellerbee (Narrator). An upbeat, entertaining film, "Baby Boom" may not be particularly memorable, but it does provide some laughs, and at the same time says something about the value of being given the opportunity to question the things we "think" we want. Kind of like saying "Never say never." After all, who can say with any certainty where destiny may lead any of us? It's something a film like this may make you consider, inbetween the chuckles. It's the magic of the movies.

Have loved this movie from the first time I saw it.Diane Keaton is just the best actress. I can't imagine anyone else playing her character in the movie. It had all the right elements for this super movie. Drama, comedy and romance.It was the best.Now having the movie, I can watch it anytime when I want to have a good laugh.

Well I wasn't really interested when it came on... I kept geting into and by the time it was time to give Elizabeth up for adoption I was so into it... It was an amazing movie... I wanna watch it again...

This review refers to MGM's DVD edition of "Baby Boom".....

They call her "The Tiger Lady". She's a woman of the 80's.She's a high powered ad exec,with a six figure income,has an apartment to die for, which she shares with her significant(but slightly dull)other(also a six figure income),and is about to become a partner in the firm.She's J.C.Wiatt,a real go-getter. She has it all. Or does she?

Diane Keaton turns in a touching and funny performance as this dynamic woman, whose life is suddenly turned upside-down by a surprising inheritance. No, not money or a family heirloom, this inheritance is "Elizabeth"....a bouncing bundle of joy who melts the heart of the Tiger Lady and will melt yours as well.A toddler was not part of J.C.'s plan.How will she juggle her career and motherhood? And what about romance,can that ever be part of her future now? It doesn't look good. But when life hands J.C. Wiatt lemons(and a baby)...she does it her way...she makes applesauce!

Written by Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer(who also directed), it is a nostalgic look back at the evolving baby boomer.A marvelous supporting cast includes Harold Ramis, Sam Wanamaker,Sam Shepard, and James Spader as the protoge from hell. It's a sweet and funny feel good tale. The music by Bill Conti gives the perfect feel to the story.

The DVD is presented in widescreen(1.85:1) and the sound is in Dolby Digital stereo surround. The picture is good. Not the shaprest I've seen on a film this recent, but a nice view.The surround sound is nice. The music and dialouge both clear and disguinishable.There is a theatrical trailer and it may be viewed in French(also stereo) and has subtitles in French and Spanish, but none in English. If you are interested in this film and are needing English subtitles, there is a German edition(PAL)with English captioning out there. I did not see it sold here at Amazon though.

"Baby Boom" is a fun romantic comedy that was nominated for Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture(Comedy/Musical) and Best Actress(Comedy/Musical).4 stars.

Thanx and enjoy......Laurie

Have watched twice now & enjoyed each time, very uplifting & funny. I would like to add this movie to my collection some day, because I don't think I'll ever get sick of it.

I was a fan of this movie the first time I saw it on cable. I always thought of it as a classic in my book. This was before I saw Working Girl even or Look Who's Talking. Which in this case is a little of both movies into one.
Diane Keaton plays J.C. Wiatt a hugly successful business woman in the 80's. And works for a huge advertising company. In the process of almost making partner in the company she recieves an inheritence from some cousins she hasn't seen in ages. It turns out it's a baby girl Elizabeth. Now she's conflicted of working but at the same time deciding to give up Elizabeth for being a partner or possibly doing both. She learns that she just can't give up with Elizabeth and she has fallen in love with her. However, she learns it's too hard to work full time in a demanding business and raise a baby girl at the same time.
So they move to a country side where quite a few things go wrong. A city girl in the country trying to make it on her own and raising a baby girl. She then starts a business on her own which can land her back at her old business.

It's got a great cast with: Diane Keaton who's really amazing in this role, and other's such as: Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters), Sam Shepard (Black Hawk Down), James Spader, and many more noticable stars. In the start of the movie the narrorator is none other than newswoman Linda Ellerbee.

The DVD I was a bit disappointed in it's only got a theatrical trailer and not much else. I was hoping maybe for some interviews and behind the scene's. So if your a fan you can still get the VHS version or if your a DVD collector then this is a good movie to add to your collection.

So All in all I would give a review of the movie a B+ and the DVD itself a C.

This is one of my all time favorites!!! Who can resist Diane Keaton and that GORGEOUS baby! At times it's hysterical and at times it makes you want to cry....but in the end it's a heart warming film. I have watched it so many times I think I literally wore out the tape. If you don't want to purchase it, do yourself a favor and at least rent it....you won't be disappointed!

If I were to watch this movie 5 times a week it would not be enough! It's a whole variety of city life vs. country living. Diane Keaton looks great in anything she wears city or country! It shows country people soft warm and gentle yet realistically and not as a bunch of hollywood view of yeehaw ignoramic morons! It's almost fall now and it's a great time to BUY this movie and enjoy it with a cup of hot apples and cinnamon tea or coco.

This movie, which I fell in love with in 1987, has made me laugh and cry every time I have watched it. I owned the video and now the DVD because I never want to be without a copy. Some of it may seem a little "80's" now, but that's no reason not to watch a classic! Baby Boom is definitely a chick flick, but well worth the time on a rainy Saturday afternoon, ...even if you have seen it before