Maybe Baby (2001)

Joely Richardson shines in Maybe Baby, about a thirtysomething British couple struggling to have a child. After dabbling in fertility rituals and having sex according to a rigorous ovulation schedule, Lucy (Richardson) and Sam (Hugh Laurie) find their relationship tested by temptation; Lucy starts to yearn for a hunky young actor that her talent agency is representing, and Sam starts writing a seriocomic screenplay about their infertility--which he doesn't tell Lucy about, because she's already forbidden him to write it. Everything is fine until Sam delves into her diary in order to get a better grip on a woman's consciousness and learns more than he bargained for. Maybe Baby is a sincere and lighthearted movie, sprinkled with comic turns from Emma Thompson, Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous), and others. Laurie is solid, but it's Richardson's charm and intelligence that makes it work. --Bret Fetzer Amazon.com

An Abomination

I adore Hugh Laurie. House is one of my favorite TV shows and I loved his portrayal of Bertie Wooster. So I ordered this sight unseen. HL's in it, it's gotta be great, right? Wrong. The "humor" is grotesque and unfunny and the story is totally unsatisfying. What a waste of Emma Thompson, too. I think this is the worst British movie I've ever seen. August 5, 2008

Sincere but lacking

Somewhat good comedy/drama, with the drama part being unable to deliver, about a couple trying to conceive. Hugh Laurie is really good playing the husband Sam. He is funny, entertaining, and delivers on all his comedy scenes. The husband decides to write a script about the couple's ordeal of going through the process of conceiving. Joely Richardson is...well, delivering lines. Her acting felt more like she was reading lines rather than acting. Anyways, her character has to deal with the temptation of being with another man and also the process of trying to conceive. The movie was somewhat entertaining until my roommate asked me: "If this is a comedy, why are you not laughing?". Why indeed? The movie is actually not that funny with exception of Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson playing a very funny new age character. Rowan Atchinson (Mr. Bean) also appears. May 27, 2008

What happened to the Maybe Baby I knew and loved?

I loved this movie when I first saw it, and I was so excited when I got the DVD that I watched it immediately. And it was good, but I started to feel like I was missing chunks of the movie, like parts had been taken out. Turns out there were.

In the original cut, there is a lot more humor, a lot more sex, and a lot more Britishness. The 104 minute movie has been scaled down to a 93 minute knock off that glosses over the difficult and complex ending with a shoddy voice over, cuts out the entire subplot of Lucy's affair, and removes the sex not suited for American audiences. I was disappointed with this film.

The original is stellar if you can find it, just be forewarned that you will be missing out if you get this version. February 19, 2008

Cruel and unusual punishment

In most civilized countries, Maybe Baby would be banned as cruel and unusual punishment. Disproving the old adage about writing what you know, Ben Elton's horrendously arch comedy about infertility shows that only works when what you know is remotely interesting or convincing. Long before the half hour mark you'll be praying that these people be prevented from ever breeding. A string of DOA one-liners delivered by hideously OTT Britcom TV stars, Elton's direction is even worse than his script - he seems to think that because the screen is bigger than his usual sitcom turf the performances have to be too. Hugh Laurie, Adrian Lester and James Purefoy aside, it's a parade of excruciatingly unconvincing media stereotypes delivered at full volume for maximum pain, whether it's Joely Richardson proving that talent is not hereditary and demonstrating the comic timing of a whelk (and this is one of her better performances) or Rachel Stirling continuing her quest to prove herself as Britain's worst actress. There is one good tirade against bad British movies, but it falls somewhat flat in something that is, on its own terms, even worse than what it supposedly rails against.

Although this US version is cut by 10 minutes from the original UK cut, it's hard to get upset when the film was so poor to begin with. February 9, 2008

Just Misses the Mark or 10 Minutes

Reviewers who have watched the Region 2 DVD version of this film insist that the 10 additional minutes in that version make all the difference. This version misses the mark. How could it miss with Ben Elton writing and directing and Hugh Laurie and Joely Richardson in the lead roles? Answer: it skips the process that the couple needs to go through to come to some peace with their situation. One scene "all is lost" and "presto chango" in the next is all resolved. This leaves the main characters as card board cutouts for a comic plot. Still its worth watching for the stylish send ups of the BBC, modern London, and some very funny scenes. Richardson is dazzlingly georgeous and Laurie is charming and wonderful. Laurie's sperm-test song is a keeper. Just don't expect that touching moment that make every thing work--someone, somewhere, somehow forgot to write, shoot, or include it in this version. But, oh would I love to see the Region 2 version! Explain to me why in the world Amazon doesn't sell it on the U.S. website??? December 19, 2007

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