I Don't Know How She Does It

I can’t comment on the TV series of Sex and the City, but the fact that Sarah Jessica Parker has a film career has been a mystery amongst film reviewers for many years now. I Don’t Know How She Does It doesn’t solve the mystery. The film’s concept is disastrous as it’s basically just a sob story for a couple that have two kids. Who live in a massive house. Who both have highly paid jobs. Who can afford nannies whenever they want. Who have a supporting network of loving friends and family. Don’t you just feel the sympathy? Of course you don’t. The whole concept is flawed. Having kids is tough? Whoa, hold the front page. Juggling family and work commitments is difficult? What a revelation! OK let’s take a backwards step here and address the obvious argument. This film is clearly aimed at working mothers who will sympathise with Jessica Parker’s situation. Nothing wrong with that, but even here how many working mothers are going to have sympathy for a rich middle class couple with “only” two children anyway? Matters are made even worse with the inference that one characters life now only has meaning due to her having a child. Christian Hendricks stars in this as well but is totally wasted and saddled with giving the occasional vox populi style aside where she sprouts some utterly sexist drivel that, if a man had delivered it with the contrary view, would have the producers of this film black listed from Hollywood forever. Jessica Parker’s not totally to blame for this film, but she has chosen to star in it in the first place. I only guess it appealed to her own feelings regarding childhood and work. On the plus side there are a few laughs to be had with Olivia Munn (clearly channelling Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada) giving a nice performance as a cold assistant and some witty asides come from other characters commenting on Jessica Parker's characters life. Apart from that, that’s your lot. Surely this is the most mis-guided mainstream Hollywood release for years? A film where even the majority of the target audience are going to hate it……

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict

The few laughs rescue this from the bottom of the barrel. Rating: 2/10.