The film ‘I Don't Know How She Does It’ is a new breed of romantic comedy that reflects some of the modern affectations of our culture. This has resulted in a paradigm shift from the traditional boy meets girl motif to stories that are centered on the tribulations encountered by the independent modern woman. By altering the elemental tropes that define the genre the scope of the form has undergone a drastic reconfiguration so that you might have some difficulty establishing the story. This is where this consideration of ‘How she does it’ has to begin. The most glaring change in the general premise is this rom com starts in the middle of the relationship instead of chronicling how it was established. This film by be sufficiently removed from the traditional tenants of the rom-com that many would exclude it from such classification. However, romance is more than the initial blaze of discovery; it has to endure life. After 35 years with my late with perhaps I’m inclined to look at the film under consideration here through the filter of a different perspective. In any case I extended the rom-com appellation to in order to give the film the benefit of the doubt since it has the propensity to fall short as a slice of life comedy. In the rom-com setting it is feasible to be more lenient with such factors as overlooking improbable coincidental events or stretching the suspension of belief that is part and parcel of the genre. If the flick is taken as a more generalized comedic form little factors like that are more difficult to dismiss. After my second viewing I discovered that even such largess began to falter but it still allowed for a modicum of enjoyment. I think my desire to shove a round peg into a square hole here is a result of wanting to like this film more than the technical presentation permitted. It has a firm directorial style and a contemporarily solid script executed by an eminently affable cast. Unfortunately in a case of negative synergism the sum is less than its parts leaving a popcorn flick in lieu of what had the potential to be much more. It represents an earnest effort to be the best as it could but the ingredients are not able to properly meld together.

Kate Reddy (Sarah Jessica Parker) is a modern woman who refuses to compromise any aspect of her full and diversified life. On the career front Kate is a successful executive in a well established financial firm located in Boston. When the work day is done she slips effortlessly into the second aspect of her well ordered life as the devoted mother of two and wife. Kate’s husband, Richard (Greg Kinnear), had been an architect until the economic downturn minimized the need for his particular talents. This placed the burden of wage earned solely on her shoulders. Most women would be intimidated a woman of lesser constitution but Kate is proud of her ability to rise above considerable changes. Even a super woman requires some type of a support system. With Kate it comes in the form of two other women. The first is her best friend Allison (Christina Hendricks) a fellow career mom with similar experience. Then there is here assistant Momo Hahn (Olivia Munn). Momo demonstrates the other end of the feminist bell curve. Momo has a dislike for children that has past the boundary of normal into the phobic. She attempts to counter balance this by emulating the hard driven work ethic exhibited by her boss and mentor. This delicate balancing act that Kate so expertly juggles is disrupted when she receives a new high profile and lucrative client. The position has an unexpected demand of requiring numerous business trips that will keep her away from her family. The representative of the new client is the dashing Jack (Pierce Brosnan) who is a self professed lothario. The stress on the family’s tenuous balance is further altered when Richard receives a job offer that is impossible to decline. As is the case with any delicately maintained system the slightest alteration can ruin it but in Kate’s case the external forces become extreme.

As with any slice of life comedy the humor can dip decidedly into the darker end of the spectrum. The romantic element here is established by the relationship between Kate and Richard. Despite the complexity of their marriage they made it work. There is a foundation of love between them that extends to their children. Richard is cast in the traditionally emasculating role of entirely deferring to his wife for financial stability of the family. This contributes to his necessity to return to work. A side effect of this is an element that is commonly overlooked in female oriented stories; a sympathetic male dilemma albeit on that cast the man in a subjugated light. There is another more subtle feminist element by giving Kate the surname of Reddy. For those out their paying attention singer songwriter Helen Reddy hit it big with her feminist anthem, ‘I am woman hear me roar’. This type of low key reference is continued with one that might be lost on all but the most observant cinephile. Their movie night choice is a forties classic of similar theme; ‘My Gal Friday’ depicting the career woman of nearly seventy years ago. This substantiates that the flick was honestly crafted by artist that care. It just was not able to gel properly. Taking the perennial archetype of the working woman into this new millennium the visible manifestation of an overly hectic life is the over reliance on cellular phones and other electronic devices. It is hackney at this point and the screen writers might have considered another avenue to convey the point.

Kate is caught between two extremes to the working woman’s lament; Allison is a high price lawyer and super mom while Momo completely avoids the issue through her rejection of parenting. These roles are fairly well used but the best of the situation is obtained by some suitable casting, Parker is well versed in portraying this sort of character making it into a sort of Settled down Carrie motif. Her fame from ‘Mad Men’ as the driven office managers make the audience predisposed to accept Hendricks in her role. Kinnear and Brosnan both are reprising roles they have successfully presented numerous times defining their careers. Lastly there is Ms Munn. Starting as the techno savvy girl on G4 the gaming network, she has expanded that one note identity into the start of s diversified comedy career.