Oh Baby

Jennifer Lopez is back.

Well, at least she’s trying to come back, with The Back-up Plan, yet another rom-com for her already rich-in-the-genre résumé that doesn’t really bring anything new to the table.

Except, of course, for Alex O’Loughlin’s abs. Thank you for doing us that solid, Lopez & Co. – much appreciated.

Anyway, La Lopez plays Zoe, a New Yorker so obviously modeled on one Carrie Bradshaw the actress just had to channel Sarah Jessica Parker so much I often couldn’t help but wonder if SJP had been approached to star in the movie instead. From the things that she said, to the tics that they gave her, you know what I mean....

But I digress.

Zoe seems to be quite happy and content, like she has it all: Great Louboutins, pretty hair, a nice wardrobe (the movie goes to great lengths to make it clear that Lopez’s post-twins bod is bangin’), a cute little pup made even more adorable by the fact that he handicapable, a thriving pet store, funny friends, and a grandma that loves her. She hasn’t found The One, though, and thus she hasn’t had a baby.

Being the go-getter that she is, Zoe is embarking on life’s greatest adventure – parenthood – all on her own when we first meet her. Literally...she’s getting inseminated as the movie begins. This is, of course, her back-up plan.

No sooner has she left the doctor’s office, though, Zoe meets Stan (O’Loughlin).

Natch.

The guy is perfect. He’s ruggedly handsome, has a good head on his shoulders...and he likes her immediately.

Although Zoe is reluctant at first, she ultimately accepts an invitation to go out on a date – it’s gotta be meant to be something since they keep running into each other, after all. Things get more complicated, as they would, once they decide they want to give it a shot...and she reveals that she’s preggers.

The Back-up Plan starts out fairly strongly, but after a while, as Zoe gets more and more pregnant and her issues with Stan get more and more real (will he leave? is she still “in there” or is she totally consummed by the baby? will two of them get interesting again?), the movie stalls.

Watching it, I thought it would be a neat twist if the powers that be went for a Break-Up-type resolution, but this one ultimately proves to be way more generic that you should give it credit for, I’m afraid.

As a comeback vehicle, Lopez could do worse. But then again, she certainly could’ve done better. I just hope that that other Jennifer (Aniston) with the similarly themed movie (The Switch) coming out later this summer fares better than this.

My Rating **1/2

Photo: CBS Films.