By Folawe Banigbe
“It’s okay. There’s no big deal,” John Kelly said. “We’re gonna get pregnant. I promise you,” he assured his wife Katie. “Shameless” series regular Steve Howey depicts the loving, supportive and ambitious husband to actress Eliza Coupe’s character in this comedy-drama “Making Babies.” Not much is out there about writer and director Josh. F. Huber, and perhaps there is a reason for that. He seems to be testing the waters of directing with this plot and for that, he deserves much credit. Weaving a serious issue that couples encounter into comedy does take some guts. However, it’s a movie that’s good enough to watch for one time only.
“Making Babies” opens with scenes that make the audience chuckle and then burst out laughing. We meet middle-class couple John and Katie who are obviously in love and would do anything to make each other happy. They try for a baby conventionally several times and when it becomes apparent that it’s not working, they decide to drain their wallet and go through the emotionally tasking, heart-wrenching and body-wearing route of the assisted fertility program. While serious talk is woven into the storyline, the comedic takes the director infuses into the plot dilutes the overall story, making us forget why we are watching the movie in the first place.
Casting Golden Globe nominee Ed Begley Jr., who plays the fertility specialist Dr. Remis was a smart move. Delivering lines like, “Are you ready to do what it takes?” when questioning the couples’ commitment to the grueling medical procedure snaps the audience back into the plot. While it’s okay to poke fun at semen harvesting so the audience could have a good laugh, it goes on for too long- we get lost in such moments and end up not feeling the loss the couple shows when each daunting attempt to get pregnant fails.
Don’t get me wrong- a plot full of love, comedy, and emotional setbacks does work, but in this case, when the writer doubles up as director and without much experience, this is what we get: a plot with good potential that ends up being unexceptional. I’d like to believe that Huber could do better, but just not with this one. “Making Babies” failed to deliver the fun and emotion it was meant to give its audience.
