A film that has reflections of some of its later genre peers, Baby Boom is a 1987 dramedy about what happiness looks like.
Baby Boom (1987) Film Review
Climbing the corporate ladder at her high powered company in a twelve-hour day, J.C. Wiatt (Diane Keaton) is happy. She lives with a man who, like her, is married to his job and together they have equal and separate financial stakes in the relationship. Neither is interested in changing their relationship or having more, which is perfect for this upcoming partnership J.C. is receiving. This means more hours which she’s fine with.
Late one night J.C. receives a call about an unexpected inheritance from a distant cousin. Expecting a tangible thing, what she gets is a tiny human. Her cousin leaves guardianship of his daughter, Elizabeth. This sends J.C. into a tailspin and she doesn’t know what to do. A baby is not in her plans, but somehow, this child gives her more than she expects.
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Watching older films is something I’ve been doing a lot of lately, and honestly, it’s been good. This is one of those feel-good movies that feels a little like the ray of sunshine we rarely see in the industry anymore. Featuring a young Diane Keaton, the film also has a young James Spader (in a minor role) who today culture knows as Red from The Blacklist or from the MCU Avengers world. The whole cast is pretty solid honestly. I enjoy everyone, and find it funny Sam Shepard doesn’t appear until, as the biz calls it, “act three.” Plus, in behind-the-scenes biz trivia, Nancy Meyers, who many love for multiple feel-good comedies, is a producer here on Baby Boom.
What perhaps is most interesting about this film is not only its conclusion and how the story plays out, but the “getting” there phase. Unlike most movies today which are supposedly all about the cultural superior say so, movies from his era and surrounding, is actually far more complimentary and honest than without (as much) pressure. Not only does Baby Boom tell a story effectively and considerately (give us story), it’s also complimentary to its strong heroine and allows her a choice and decision that SHE makes. She ultimately gets “power” and with that, ability choice. One that isn’t easy, but she obtains something all with her own hard work and because of this, she could have everything with a simple yes. It’s really a good spin and is more about her than anything else.
The one flaw is, I think this runs a tiny bit overlong. That said, the banter between Keaton and Shepard is funny and though not frequent, it helps to make up for this. As does that comical kiss. Baby Boom is supremely entertaining and though its 80s production date means some dated filmmaking, it’s still a good time.
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Content: there is some innuendo. The film implies a couple has sex that lasts under five minutes (the man remarks how great it was afterwards). Someone breaks down when they realize they don’t have any adult connections and haven’t had sex in a year. There’s some profanity, that’s pretty commonplace and not frequent. The film is PG.
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