Weekly Review -- Love on the rocks, anyone?

It's Complicated (2009) -- When it comes to the psychology of relationships, life's surprises and human interactions, no filmmaker does it better than Lisa Cholodenko and Nancy Meyers. While the former often emphasizes the present context of a situation within the remnants of the past and the characters' inner conflicts, the latter likes to play with what is habitually known as maturity, putting a slant on comical elements of contemporary existence. In It's Complicated, Jane (the effervescent Meryl Streep) is a successful businesswoman and mother, whose ex-husband Jake (Alec Baldwin) had run off with another woman ten years earlier. Having gotten used to being without him, Jane meets Jake again at their son's graduation and, little by little, the two start their own affair. Enter charming and vulnerable architect Adam (Steve Martin), and suddenly Jane's routine gets rather spicy... Two things make the film -- Meyers' always engaging writing and Meryl Streep. Oh, and Meryl Streep. Did I already say Meryl Streep? Forgive me if I cannot stop myself. Everyone knows that this lady could make even a phone book sound like a bona fide Shakespearean play, so it is no surprise that her comedy skills and timing are off the map. She radiates humor and beauty in every scene and manages to turn every line into a zinger. Baldwin fares very well as the clingy ex with tons of issues, while Martin gives a subdued performance as the new man in Jane's life. And Hollywood, please take note of John Krasinski, who adds a bit of light slapstick to the proceedings and has enough charisma to be cast in more leading roles. As far as the screenplay goes, Meyers once again populates a story with intellectuals at the crossroads, examining their quirks and their personal journeys in her usual warm, yet sharply clever, way. It's Complicated is a film for grown-ups, one that always stays on sophisticated track in relating its laughs and cries, never veering into the territory of simplicity or melodrama. We need more delightful cinematic morsels like it and yes, we would love for them to be as complicated as possible.

10/10