The Back-Up Plan (2010)

Director: Alan Poul

Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Alex O’Loughlin, Michaela Watkins

A woman conceives twins through artificial insemination, then meets the man of her dreams on the very same day.

Let’s face it, romantic comedies are predictable: boy meets girl, they fall in love, they break up, they get together. This is pretty much the trait for romantic comedies and the very reason why I view them as chick flicks and don’t really watch them. However, I must admit to having enjoyed ‘The Back-Up Plan’ – probably mostly thanks to the incredibly sexy Alex O’Loughlin.

The film revolves around Zoe (Lopez) who wants a child, but since she hasn’t found Mr Right yet, decides to be inseminated. As fate would have it, she then meets the right guy, Stan (O’Loughlin). I didn’t find their meeting and subsequent romance realistic or believable. It felt too plastered and the events were pure romantic comedy cliches – and oh-so-predictable. The film did offer delightfully funny moments and dialogue, though – although there were also a few over the top moments.

I take my hat off to any man willing to go through what Stan does for the love of a woman. Their relationship was rocky and unromantic for most parts, and they seemed like a complete mismatch. The script begged the viewer to root for them, though, with forced romantic moments and a subtle orchestral score to toy with your emotions. Definitely a chick flick.

Nevertheless, this was still interesting enough, and funny, so ultimately I was entertained. Watching a shirtless Alex O’Loughlin with that heavenly physique definitely made the movie worth while…

First time dads should watch this! Then again, maybe not…

Although most critics didn’t like ‘The Back-Up Plan’, the film was a commercial success, earning $77.4 million on a $35 million budget, and is CBS Films’ highest grossing film to date.

Would I watch it again? Yes, even if just for the sake of watching Alex O’Loughlin…