Maggie’s Plan: a romantic comedy. We
are told at the outset what “Maggie’s Plan” is. Maggie (Greta Gerwig)
tells her friend Tony (Bill Hader) that she wants to become a mother.
During the course of the conversation, we glean bits and pieces of background
information such as Maggie’s inability to maintain long term
relationships. Maggie’s plan is to inseminate herself. She has
found a donor, Guy (Travis Fimmel), someone both Maggie and Tony knew in
college; friends with no romantic ties among them. Tony is married
to Felicia (Maya Rudolph). More scenes with Tony, Felicia and Maggie
would have made this enjoyable film even more fun. Donor Guy owns a
pickle factory in Brooklyn and, as Tony notes, has social issues. As
the arrangement with Guy starts falling into place, Maggie meets John (Ethan
Hawke), a part-time professor whose area of expertise is “ficto-critical
anthropology”. John is married to a tenured Danish Columbia University
professor named Georgette (Julianne Moore) with whom he has two
children. John is trying to write a novel. At this point, of
course, Maggie and John connect and become a couple. The film then leaps
forward about three years. Maggie is tired of taking care of John
who, as we knew from the start, is self-absorbed and allergic to sharing, which
is exactly how John describes Georgette. We know Maggie is a person
who likes to be in control, however, trying to control her own daughter plus
parenting John and Georgette’s children proves overwhelming. Maggie
comes up with a new plan: get John and Georgette back together. The
cast is excellent, and there is a cameo appearance by Wallace
Shawn. While I never bought into the John-Maggie relationship, I
still thoroughly enjoyed this film. Everything is done with a light
and humorous touch under the talented guidance of Rebecca Miller, who is both
director and screenwriter. This 98 minute gem shines with a delightful
charm. The bounty of smiles, gentle laughs and adult humor make this
movie a positive and pleasant respite.
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