L!fe Happens Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

L!fe Happens Blu-ray Movie Review

Needs more exclamation point.

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 21, 2013

The easiest way to describe “Life Happens” (which is technically titled “L!fe Happens,” but let’s pretend it doesn’t) is to compare it to Judd Apatow’s hit, “Knocked Up.” While the general comedic ambiance isn’t nearly as sharp, the same message of extended adolescence smashing up against the demands of responsibility is shared by both pictures, with “Life Happens” electing to portray the female version of slackerdom, which, to be fair, is rarely explored in film. Credit co-writer/director Kat Corio (a longtime actress making her feature-length debut) with the inspiration to shake up the routine, forging a dramedy about best friends and the arrival of adulthood. However, this isn’t a terribly compelling effort, often wasting energy on dreary ideas for comedy while being too permissive with its actors. In fact, for a movie that hopes to tickle, it actually finds surer footing expressing deep emotions, pinpointing the terror and grief that comes when pleasurably distracting routines are abandoned.

A party girl with limited responsibilities, Kim (Krysten Ritter, who also co-scripts and co-produces) takes a chance on a pro-surfer one-night stand after the last condom of the house is nabbed by roommate Deena (Kate Bosworth). A year later, and Kim is mother to baby Max, trying to juggle the needs of parenthood with her own dreams of success, trying to convince her unbalanced, canine-loving employer Francesca (Kristen Johnston) to invest in her dream of a mall for dogs. Exhausted and missing her former life of partying and girlfriend time with Deena, Kim is losing her mind, finding solace in attention brought on by suitor Nicolas (Geoff Stults), a recently divorced man who’s a little wary of babies. Fearful of missing out on love, Kim lies to Nicolas about the identity of Max’s mother, trying to pass off Deena as the true parent. Caught in a difficult position of dishonesty, Kim attempts to reach out to her friends, including second roommate Laura (Rachel Bilson), only to find the ladies entangled in their own lives of merriment and irresponsibility, fracturing their once unbreakable bond. Growing to understand the true challenge of motherhood, Kim confronts maturity for the first time in her life, fearful to leave her once euphoric schedule of youthful stupidity behind.

It takes some time for “Life Happens” to settle down. Coiro and Ritter aren’t immediately concerned with matters of the heart, showing more interest in erecting a snappy, hip-ish take on the carefree life of twentysomething women on the loose. The screenplay collects it own vernacular (though I could go the rest of my life without hearing terms like “sancitmommy” ever again) to expose the tightness of rhythm shared between Kim and Deena, two pals ready to take on the world one man at a time. There’s a defined spirit to the initial act of “Life Happens,” introducing the effort as a lighthearted affair, with impromptu Chamillionaire jams during morning commutes, club hopping, and one-night stands, which results in an unplanned pregnancy for Kim. The interplay is swift and Ritter and Bosworth are game, selling the longstanding friendship with surprising comfort and mutual trust. It’s appealing, but not very funny or original, finding Coiro mimicking other movies to launch her picture with a burst of BFF activity.

Once the baby enters the story, “Life Happens” becomes more of a sitcom, especially when Kim starts to lie to keep Nicolas interested in her as a romantic partner. It’s a dreary routine as the writing fights to remain cute and constant with romantic comedy clichés while dealing with an exhausting reality of child rearing. Despite its titular promise to handle the premise with sincerity, the plot is recycled from other pictures and programs, while the “Three’s Company” vibe carries to a ditzy, attractive roommate in Laura, who spends the movie half-clothed and involved in dubious vocational opportunities such as a naked sushi model. The artificial good times tend to grind “Life Happens” to a stop, making it nearly impossible to invest in the characters when they all seem to emerge from a dismal screenwriting template.

Matters improve late in the second act, when the weight of the world crashes on top of Kim and “Life Matters” begins to sober up. While the slam into drama is difficult to digest at first, the change in tone supplies a few touching scenes of frustration and confession, allowing the main character a moment to recognize the expiration date on her breezy lifestyle. The darkening mood also permits Ritter a chance to grow as an actress, setting down her rusting tools of perkiness to try on genuine emotion for a change. She’s great in these scenes, exposed and believably hopeless, generating deep feeling the rest of the effort lacks. And, to be fair, “Life Happens” is more accomplished as a drama. With comedic antics entrusted to the likes of Jason Biggs, Kristen Johnston (as Kim’s daffy, boozy boss), and Justin Kirk (playing a sleazy but persistent guy out to charm Deena), it should comes as no surprise that the movie doesn’t have a laugh. It encourages a lot of heavy sighing, but there’s not even a giggle to be found.

Unless of course you find the accidental spraying of breast milk during a sexual encounter hilarious. If so, “Life Happens” is the film for you. For everyone else, there are moments here that can’t be unseen.

L!fe Happens Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Working with vibrant California locations and a cheery production design, the VC-1 encoded image (2.40:1 aspect ratio) presentation has the benefit of a bright, colorful world to examine. However, black levels leave something to be desired, showing muddiness with low-light encounters, blocking out the particulars of certain romantic events, while backgrounds have difficulty remaining open for inspection. Thankfully, much of the movie is captured with bright daylight, allowing for full illumination of screen particulars, while grain retains a mild presence, bringing a filmic quality to the viewing experience. Hues are bold and stable, finding primaries in ideal shape, though special attention is paid to Ritter's bold, red lips, which offer a little pop. Costumes are equally colorful, also providing a little juice with fine detail, supplying welcome fabric textures, while facial nuances are captured with a slight softness. Skintones are natural, maintaining Ritter's alabaster appeal and Bilson's more tanned appearance. No print damage was detected.

L!fe Happens Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix shows a little more energy than expected for such a routine dramedy. Perhaps most interesting is the film's use of split-screen, which divides up dialogue with mild directional activity, offering voices that follow the actors during movement. It's not always the most secure presentation, dropping off some during an exchange between Kim and Francesca, but the alertness is appealing. The rest of the verbal interactions remain secure and full, detailing the feature's motor-mouthed dialogue without distortion or intrusive overlap. Soundtrack selections bring a little bass-heavy low-end to the track, also filling the surrounds with an immersive, circular position. Scoring is mild but supportive, though it never makes much of an impression, hanging back while character interplay takes top priority.

L!fe Happens Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

L!fe Happens Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's rare to find a feature that actually improves as it rolls along, but "Life Happens" develops confidence and briefly mingles with severity, keeping it passably engaging the longer Kim computes her childish ways. Dips back into jesting merely remind the viewer of the stupidity they've already survived. It's not a potent picture by any means, but there was potential for Coiro and Ritter to inspect the difficulties of single motherhood with a special concentration on the trials and tribulations of personal relationships. Instead, they've merely touched on the subject, spending more time building a tiring caricature of friendship and responsibility.