[Editor's Note: For more reviews of the latest releases, check out the Daily Loaf Movie Review Index.]
There are usually three criteria that can make a great romantic comedy: Real chemistry between the leads, clever and insightful dialog, and simple comic timing. Just one of those can make for a good rom-com, in that good chemistry or funny jokes can save a movie from the most junky or formulaic script. If your leads are not so good, a good, clever script can keep the audience interested. This is why I didn't want to judge The Back-Up Plan prematurely, despite the fact that it was almost certain to be a cookie-cutter example of the genre. But hey, you never know; there are rare cases when a studio may hire a clever screenwriter or the two leads are simply great together. Alas, The Back-Up Plan is not one of those movies.
This article appears in Apr 14-20, 2010.