Awesome Movie

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Diane Keaton and Sam Shepard star in this 1987 comedy-drama. Keaton plays J.C. Wiatt, a New York business woman who longs to make it to the top of the corporate world. Her life changes, when she inherits baby girl, Elizabeth (Kristina and Michelle Kennedy) and things go unexpectedly for her. She decides to move to Vermont where she becomes successful on her own and finds romance with animal doctor, Jeff Cooper (Shepard). It's then that J.C. realizes that some things are more important and worth giving up for. This is a good 80's film with humorous and heartwarming moments, Keaton is great in it and I think it's one her best. I recommend this.

I saw this movie years ago and enjoyed it for Diane Keaton's performance. Having revisited it in 2012, I realized that we have changed A LOT. The fast paced "Tiger Lady" that J.C. Wiatt portrays still exist, but imagine what her life would've been like if the internet was still possible. It's really hard not to root for her. J.C. is a windup toy that is wound too tight. A life on a ticking clock. So driven to succeed that she doesn't even realize when she obtains success. The fine line that Keaton skates is dated (unfortunately). A lot of this schtick wouldn't hold to today's audience, but in the context of the era, it's a great reminder of the yuppies that dominated the Reagan era.Cue in, cute baby. She does what the story needs her to do, which is to slow down Keaton's life. Force her to see what's important. And the message is WAY too predictable but...it's still a nice journey. Again, if you follow Keaton's work, this is a very nice film that allows her to juggle through her neurosis. And it has a LOT of fun moments. It made me miss the 80's.

This film was somewhat funny to a point, but after a certain point it just seems like it has gone on long enough and you just want it to be over. The film is about a woman who does not have any children receiving an unexpected inheritance as she becomes the guardian of a little baby girl. She has problems adjusting to this and this is where the film is at its best, though the best laugh for my money is the scene where the young toddler introduces herself to the boyfriend played by Harold Ramis. The woman wrestles with the idea of putting this child up for adoption, but she meets some people wanting to adopt the child and quickly reconsiders. Cannot say I blame her, as the wife and husband look like a couple who are going to inflict the child with both emotional and physical abuse. Seriously, the way the acted during that meeting the welfare agent present should have said no way. Well the fact she does not give the child up for adoption makes the boyfriend move out and on. Sure, most may think he is a prick for doing so, but it was his choice, having a child was not for him and he went with the way he felt rather than live in misery and transferring said misery to both the woman and the child and then things would have ended in a worse way. Well after a while the woman ends up moving to the country and there are a few more laughs to be had as she has to now adjust living in the country, but the film soon becomes to long as she is in a new romance and she starts a new business. There are laughs in this one, but it is just to long. Comedies that run nearly two hours usually end up being devoid of laughs in to many patches and this one was no exception. Was not awful, but nor was it good.

Baby Boom (1987) *** (out of 4) Cute, if extremely light, comedy about a workaholic yuppie (Diane Keaton) whose life turns upside down when she inherits a relative's 13-month-old daughter. Soon the working woman has other obligations, which doesn't sit too well in the business world so she's forced out into the country. It's easy to see why this comedy became such a hit and continues to gather new fans each and every year. After all, you have some funny moments, a great performance by Keaton and you've got a cute child making cute faces. The word cute is the best thing to call this film because the screenplay is rather predictable and always goes for the obvious joke but this can be overlooked simply because of how great Keaton is. I think this film is the perfect example of something not being able to work had it not been for the actor in charge. If you take Keaton out of this movie then you've got absolutely nothing because the actress is just so convincing in the part that you can't help but love her. Keaton perfectly nails the working woman she plays early on as that toughness is something you'd never question. The actress has made a career of playing strong women so it shouldn't come as any shock that she handles the part here. She's also extremely funny with her comic timing and especially the stuff early on with getting used to the baby but also later in the film as she begins to crack in the country. The supporting players are also strong with Sam Shepard playing a kind-hearted country vet, Harold Ramis as a jerk who doesn't like kids and we even get vet Pat Hingle in a nice role. A young James Spader also appears playing what he plays best and that's a snake in the grass. Charles Shyer's direction handles the material quite well and he certainly keeps the movie going at a nice pace. I think the biggest problem is the actual screenplay, which hits every single note that you'd expect it too and the ending is just something you'll see coming from a mile away. BABY BOOM is certainly flawed but Keaton's performance is so great that she makes the film worth viewing.