Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

The Back-up Plan Blu-ray Movie Review

Typical.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 8, 2010

I wanted this for so long.

The Romantic Comedy, otherwise known as "the Chick Flick," is sort of like the Old Faithful of cinematic staples. Yellowstone's famous geyser is pretty darn cool the first time around; the fun facts, the novelty, and its sheer force of will (or earnest following of the laws of nature) to keep on chugging along make it a thing of wonder and amazement. Still, it doesn't really do anything else, and it never changes. Predictable, irrelevant to most after the first or second visit, but with an undeniable staying power that always lures in droves of tourists (and the occasional person that shows up with the T-Shirt that says 'I'm as reliable as Old Reliable' with the dates of their to-the-day annual visit to Wyoming plopped on the back) even though it promises to be nothing more or nothing less than what it's always been. Take The Back-Up Plan; it's the epitome of the Romantic Comedy, a picture that gleefully revels in every single cliché in the book, a perfect example of a genre that never does anything new but still manages to attract a following even if it never offers anything but the same-old, same-old. Yup, J-Lo's latest spouts a smorgasbord of reliably-predictable events that might just prove worthy enough for a visit, but by film's end, well, it's still just a hole that shoots out water with no variety, spontaneity, or lasting appeal. Been there, done that, don't have the T-shirt.

For the last time, we're a Wendy's household!

Zoe (Jennifer Lopez, Maid in Manhattan) has given up on the search for the perfect guy. But that's not going to keep her from fulfilling her dreams of motherhood. She's chosen artificial insemination as her modus operandi, and once she's done the deed with her doctor, she leaves the building, calls for a cab, and, yup, meets the guy of her dreams when they both stumble into the same backseat. No big deal; the first attempt at marrying frozen sperm and fertile egg doesn't usually work, right? Wrong! Zoe discovers she's pregnant just as she starts falling for local cheese peddler Stan (Alex O'Loughlin). She's hesitant to tell him that she's with child, but she knows the relationship won't work if it's built on secrets and lies. Can new love stand up to a baby in the belly, or will the fulfillment of one of Zoe's dreams shatter her chances at securing another?

Go ahead, guess how it will end up. Play a game with The Back-Up Plan and see who in the group can be the first to correctly guess what will happen next, and to make it really fun, figure out all the little details and even try and blurt out a few key words and phrases that will make the scene complete. Anyone with a pulse and, oh, about two Romantic Comedies of a more recent vintage under their belts should be able to guess correctly to about a 98% accuracy rating. Shoot, even someone who's first exposure to the genre comes via The Back-Up Plan won't have a hard time in correctly predicting the end result. No, this one sadly doesn't end with J-Lo birthing a couple of alien lizards who run amok in New York City. Wait, there's an idea...a Romantic Comedy directed by Roland Emmerich! Just imagine, instead of fireworks behind the couple as they share "the big kiss," it can be a huge explosion after Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren kill a prehistoric mutant radioactive creature from another part of the universe that's mad about global warming on the Fourth of July in the year 2012 near a Revolutionary War monument! Or how about a Roger Corman-themed RomCom where J-Lo's shirt can get torn off by some guy in a rubber creature suit? The possibilities are endless, but alas, The Back-Up Plan sticks with plan "A" which calls for the same old New York setting, the same old score, the same old cinematography, the same old direction, the same old color scheme, the same old characters, and the same old pop music that reinforces either a get-together, a break-up, another get-together, another break-up, and another get-together. Oh well. One can dream, right? (Roland, if you're reading this, please do make a Romantic Comedy. Imagine the possibilities!)

Still, The Back-Up Plan isn't a total loss. There might not be any mega sharks and giant octopuses, bullet time scenes, or Carl Weathers, but Director Alan Poul's flick is at least technically proficient as he trudges through one "didn't see that one coming, wink wink" scene after another. His movie looks good for what it is, and he demonstrates just enough skill to keep even a story as thematically barren and predictably clichéd as this watchable. Additionally, the film's two leads carry the movie about as far as it could reasonably be expected to go. Jennifer Lopez and Alex O'Loughlin share a surprisingly strong chemistry, particularly early on in the picture before it fumbles around with cringe-worthy scenes where they're forced to watch a woman give birth in a kiddie pool or as they struggle through one cliché after another that, ultimately, sacrifices any and all charm that the characters captured early on. Even if their early courtship phase is built around movie magic and dramatic convenience, it still works because the leads seem genuinely attracted to one another. Unfortunately, the final twenty-or-so minutes just become so bogged down in banality that most viewers will leave the film with a sour taste that masks any positives that might have existed here and there throughout the movie.

The Back-up Plan Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The movie might be painfully average, but The Back-up Plan's 1080p transfer is anything but. The image sports incredible detailing from its first live-action frame forward; a few shots of J-Lo's toes reveal so much definition it's almost scary, and the transfer subsequently captures plenty of visual nuances throughout, whether the intricate stitching of sweaters, the texture of pavement and building exteriors, or even the slight ridges on the paper that covers the examination table in the doctor's office. Colors are nicely vibrant and true-to-life without exhibiting too much of that now genre-typical unnaturally warm appearance. The transfer remains sharp and clear; even distant shots of both the city and various countryside locales never feature soft edges or clumpy details. Flesh tones are pleasantly natural, while black levels appear spot-on throughout, with nighttime scenes appearing particularly handsome. The image appears free of any distracting print damage or unwarranted digital manipulation, and a very slight layer of grain rounds out yet another fantastic film-like Blu-ray presentation from Sony.

The Back-up Plan Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Back-up Plan sports a quality DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack that's typical of both a newly-minted Romantic Comedy and a Sony new release. Music is the name of game with this movie; it's breezy and light, spacious and clean, a satisfying experience with a good spread across the front soundstage and a slight rear-channel support. Both instrumental music and pop tunes play with a refined, natural tone. Additionally, the track captures a good bit of atmosphere that creates a semi-realistic environment; both the sounds of the city -- rumbling subway trains, honking horns, and driving rainstorms -- and the natural ambience of the countryside setting are nicely reproduced throughout. Additionally, dialogue reproduction is strong and satisfying with center-focused delivery. The Back-Up Plan isn't any kind of sonic marvel, but its soundtrack suits the material well enough and Sony's lossless offering is up to the task of capturing its every nuance very well.

The Back-up Plan Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Back-up Plan births a tiny collection of extras. Belly Laughs: Making 'The Back-Up Plan' (1080p, 11:36) is a generic look at the making of the film, featuring cast and crew patting each other on the back alongside behind-the-scenes footage and clips from the film. Also included is a collection of four deleted scenes (1080p, 5:12); BD-Live functionality; MovieIQ connectivity; and 1080p trailers for The Back-Up Plan, Stomp the Yard: Homecoming, The Runaways, Nine, Not the Messiah, The Young Victoria, Charlie's Angels, and To Save a Life.

The Back-up Plan Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Anyone who's not a hardcore fan of Romantic Comedies should probably skip on by The Back-up Plan. It's not an awful movie -- it's really not -- but it's just terribly average and without a single original frame in its body. The picture's technically proficient and the acting is decent enough, but there's no story here beyond a very base idea that serves only as a slightly different frame in which to hang the same old picture. As these sorts of genre films go, The Back-Up Plan isn't abysmally bad, but it's not 13 Going on 30, either. If one were really curious as to what the Romantic Comedy looks like at its most base level, The Back-Up Plan would serve a definite purpose, but otherwise, it's just another eruption from Old Faithful. The Back-Up Plan, no surprise, lacks a thorough supplemental package, but as expected of a Sony release, the disc features a powerhouse 1080p transfer and a fine lossless soundtrack. The Back-Up Plan might tickle the fancy of ardent genre fans, but even they would be best served with a rental.