On CLIPS In May, 2010
THE BACK-UP PLAN   

Zoe's (Jennifer Lopez) plan for single motherhood changes when she meets Stan (Alex O'Loughlin) in this romantic comedy.

TRIVIA: Jennifer Lopez made her movie debut in which 1986 film?

Successful pet store owner Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) decides to become a single mother through artificial insemination. Soon after becoming pregnant she meets Stan (Alex O'Loughlin), who makes cheese and hopes to open a grocery store stocked with local food. A romance develops with expected results. "The Back-up Plan" is a lightweight piece of romantic fluff that works, thanks to the chemistry between the two likeable stars. The trials and tribulations that result when the twosome meet will mainly appeal to females. Director Alan Poul, who learned his craft with television shows like "Six Feet Under" and "Swingtown", brings a sitcom feel to the movie. Nothing wrong with this concept, since most of the cast has small screen experience. CBS keeps trying to turn Australian Alex O'Loughlin into a star, with leading roles on "Moonlight" and "Three Rivers". He'll play McGarrett in a new version of "Hawaii Five-O". His performance as Stan proves that the network may be on the right path. Linda Lavin ("Alice") and Tom Bosley ("Happy Days") provide a few delightful moments as Zoe's grandmother and her boyfriend. Anthony Anderson ("Law & Order") is a playground dad who shows Stan the realities of fatherhood. Comedian Robert Klein has some fun in the role of Zoe's doctor. There are many forgettable stock characters of friends and co-workers who dot the landscape in this date flick. An uncomfortable sequence for guys involves an annoying support group for single moms that includes a rather loud birth in a wading pool. But it's nice to have Jennifer Lopez back on the big screen - delivering the lines and handling the slapstick with ease. Here's hoping she has a hit on her hands and doesn't need a back-up plan.