“What to Expect When You’re Expecting” wants to be a comedy about pregnancy, and mostly settles for a sitcom. The 2012 film follows five couples through the joys and terrors of impending parenthood, with a cast led by Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Chace Crawford, Brooklyn Decker and Ben Falcone. It is based on Heidi Murkoff’s 1984 pregnancy guide of the same name.
The setup is simple: Jules, Holly, Wendy, Marco and Skyler each face a version of the same problem, and each couple’s story runs alongside the others. That should work. It mostly doesn’t.
Trailer, via Lionsgate Movies.
Five Couples, One Running Order
Jules Baxter (Diaz) wins a dance competition with Evan Webber (Matthew Morrison) and finds out she is pregnant. Holly Castillo (Lopez) and her husband Alex (Rodrigo Santoro) try to adopt a child from Ethiopia. Wendy Cooper (Banks) and her husband Gary (Ben Falcone) try to conceive, succeed, and Wendy has a miserable pregnancy. Marco (Crawford) reunites with an old flame, Rosie (Anna Kendrick), and both become pregnant, though Rosie later has a miscarriage. Skyler Cooper (Brooklyn Decker) is married to a much older man, Ramsey (Dennis Quaid), and becomes pregnant with twins.
The film jumps between these stories, cutting from one couple’s argument to another’s ultrasound to another’s delivery room. The trouble is that none of the couples get enough time to land. Diaz and Lopez are both capable comedians, but neither gets a chance to find the rhythm of her character. Banks and Crawford fare better, but even their arcs feel rushed.
“It’s too late to pull out now.”
What Works and What Doesn’t
The film’s biggest strength is its cast. Diaz, Lopez, Banks, Crawford, Decker, Falcone, Kendrick, Morrison, Quaid, Chris Rock, Chace Crawford and the rest all bring energy to their parts. The weakest link is the script, which leans on broad jokes and predictable twists instead of character development.
| Couple | Problem | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Jules & Evan | Pregnancy after a dance win | Gives birth to a daughter named Emerson |
| Holly & Alex | Adoption from Ethiopia | Adopt a baby boy named Kaleb |
| Wendy & Gary | Trying to conceive | Wendy gets pregnant, has a miserable pregnancy |
| Marco & Rosie | Reunion after food-truck rivalry | Marco’s wife has a miscarriage |
| Skyler & Ramsey | Skyler is married to a much older man | Skyler has twins named Aila & Nila |
The film also suffers from a lack of focus. It wants to be funny, moving and informative all at once, and ends up being none of those things well. The tagline promises commitment; the movie delivers chaos.
Verdict
“What to Expect When You’re Expecting” is a pleasant enough watch for a few hours, but it never rises above its premise. The cast is game, the stories are familiar, and the laughs are thin. It is a film that understands its own joke — that parenthood is a mess — but never quite commits to making that joke funny.
The film’s final score is 4.1 out of 10.
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