It's Complicated

I recently rewatched It's Complicated while nursing a mild cold and a very lukewarm cup of peppermint tea, and I came to a startling realization: I don’t want Meryl Streep’s life, I just want her kitchen. There is something about a Nancy Meyers film that acts like a high-thread-count weighted blanket for the soul. I’m convinced that if I ever won the lottery, my first call wouldn't be to a financial advisor, but to whoever sources Jane Adler’s oversized linen button-downs and those specific, expensive-looking bowls of lemons.

Released in 2009, right at the tail end of the "pre-streaming" era when studios still put big budgets into movies for people over the age of thirty, It's Complicated feels like a luxury vacation that happens to have a plot. It follows Jane (Meryl Streep), a successful bakery owner and mother of three, who finds herself accidentally sleeping with her ex-husband, Jake (Alec Baldwin). The catch? Jake has been remarried for years to a younger woman, making Jane—to her own horror—the "other woman" in her own former marriage.

The Art of the Middle-Aged Mess

What I love about this film, and what I think we’ve lost in the current landscape of hyper-stylized "content," is the sheer, unadulterated charm of watching three legends just play. Meryl Streep is, as always, a force of nature, but here she’s delightfully untethered. She’s not doing the "Important Actor" thing; she’s giggling, she’s flour-dusted, and she’s genuinely believable as a woman rediscovering her spark.

Opposite her, Alec Baldwin is at his absolute 30 Rock comedic peak. He plays Jake with a mix of silver-fox arrogance and pathetic vulnerability that makes you understand why Jane would fall back into bed with him, even while you’re screaming at the screen for her to run. Then there’s Steve Martin as Adam, the soft-spoken architect Jane is supposed to be dating. Martin plays the "straight man" here, and while he’s less flashy than Baldwin, he provides the necessary grounding. Watching him react to the chaos is a masterclass in restrained comedic timing.

My one major gripe? Steve Martin is so underutilized that it almost feels like a cinematic crime to have him on screen without a banjo or a prop arrow through his head. Still, the trio creates a dynamic that feels lived-in and messy in a way that’s rare for the genre.

A Time Capsule of 2009 Tech and Tastes

Looking back from the 2020s, It's Complicated serves as a fascinating time capsule. This was the era of the "webcam" subplot. There’s a scene where Jane and Adam are trying to video chat that feels ancient now—the graininess, the lag, the novelty of seeing someone's face on a screen. It was groundbreaking for its time, capturing that awkward transition into a digital-first world where parents were just learning how to navigate the internet.

The film also represents a peak in the "Lifestyle Cinema" genre. Nancy Meyers is often teased for her "real estate porn," but I’d argue her attention to detail is a genuine craft. The production design isn't just background; it’s a character. The bakery, the Santa Barbara garden, the remodeling of the house—it all reflects Jane’s internal state. When the house is under construction, her life is under construction. It’s a bit on the nose, sure, but it’s executed with such warmth by cinematographer John Toll (who did Braveheart and The Thin Red Line, believe it or not) that you can practically smell the lavender.

The Secret Weapon: John Krasinski

While the "Big Three" get the top billing, the real MVP of the supporting cast is John Krasinski as Harley, the future son-in-law. Fresh off the early seasons of The Office, Krasinski is the audience surrogate. He’s the first to figure out the affair, and his silent, wide-eyed reactions to Jake and Jane’s "secret" are the funniest parts of the movie.

There’s a specific sequence involving a joint and a party that is arguably one of the best-executed "high scenes" in modern comedy. It doesn't rely on stoner clichés; instead, it leans into the physical comedy of three adults who haven't been high since the 70s trying to navigate a social function. The timing is surgical. I remember seeing this in a theater and the laughter was so loud I missed three lines of dialogue. That’s the Nancy Meyers magic—she knows exactly how to pace a joke so it lands right in the center of the demographic.

In retrospect, It's Complicated is the kind of movie that shouldn't work as well as it does. It’s a story about incredibly wealthy people with incredibly wealthy problems, but the central performances are so human that you find yourself rooting for Jane anyway. It’s a comfort watch that reminds me of a time when the "Adult Comedy" was a staple of the multiplex rather than a rarity on a streaming carousel.

The film manages to balance the slapstick of a secret affair with the genuine ache of a family trying to heal old wounds. It doesn't offer easy answers about divorce or moving on, but it does offer a lot of great scenery and a truly impressive chocolate croissant. If you haven't visited the Adler family in a few years, it’s a trip worth taking again—if only for the kitchen inspiration.