Director: Nancy Meyers
Cast: Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, John Krasinski
Certificate: 15

There comes a certain age in your life when you flit about between work and retirement. You drink wine, tart up the garden, go out to bars, stop off at hotels. You sleep with Alec Baldwin. That is, you do if you're rich like Jane (Streep). She owns her own bakery. Not that you'd know it. The other middle aged folks with a small but steady cash flow? They lead a very different life: they watch Nancy Meyers films.

And who can blame them? They're easy-going, predictable, shiny affairs. Usually involving someone like Meryl Streep. Who this time round ends up sleeping with her ex-husband Jake (Baldwin), years after their divorce. Oho! How naughty! But it's ok, because this is a Nancy Meyers film and life is good. Who cares what they get up to under the sheets when it's all so brand new and perfect? Surrounded by gorgeous furniture and sumptuous food, it's like watching your grandparents having sex on the laminated sheets of an Argos catalogue. What's not to love?

Not very much, really. Unlike the bloated and boring Something's Gotta Give, this is a more streamlined screenplay. So while Jane is jumping between architect suitor Adam (Martin) and rascally Jake, there's less of that odious filler to flesh out the runtime. Instead, we get Jane talking to her councillor, half-weeping half-wailing with pleasure (see Mamma Mia). It's annoying, but it's all over quite quickly - there's no point hanging about when there's more Argos sex to be had. Page 74 is appliances. Ooo.

Sure, the leads have no commitments to interrupt their copious copulating, and a wasted Steve Martin has little to do - other than pretend to get high - but Baldwin's roguish charm keeps the chemistry flowing nicely. He's actually quite funny in places. But the real star of the show? Jane's son-in-law, Harley (Krasinski), who spots the two kissing - with little screen time to play with, Krasinski gives a masterclass in comic timing, delivering one of the funniest supporting roles in recent years. Thanks to him, and Meyers slightly more mature writing, this predictable fling is surprisingly fun for folks without a garden to prune.

VERDICT

Meryl Streep having sex in a shiny new kitchen? It's Complicated is simple entertainment for those with nothing better to do. Well worth a free trip with your bus pass.

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