Ballsy businesswoman inherits a baby--how can she possibly take care of it when she has a 1:00 business meeting? Screenwriters Charles Shyer (who also directed, ineptly) and Nancy Meyers concoct their scripts always with one eye on the box-office; they have nothing but good will up their sleeves, always underlining their little bits of 'edgy' corporate satire with happiness and romantic delusion. Diane Keaton retains her nervy grace and charm through a lot of unplayable scenes (such as serving pasta to her newly-acquired toddler, who flings it back with the speed of a major league ballplayer). The scenario shifts gears nicely in the second-act, attempting (I assume) a comparison between Big City living and rustic blissfulness, giving our heroine a rural veterinarian to smooch with (and a possible daddy for the baby!) It's an unreal world, but this where Shyer and Meyers are able to parlay their Ernst Lubitsch inspiration for the best effect. Keaton is especially loose and funny in these scenes, and the baby isn't carted around like a prop or used for a punchline. ** from ****
Review of Baby Boom
