User reviews

This is a really nice film with some great female roles in it. While I'm not an expert on women (most men aren't), I thought this was a nice depiction of living with your friends in one home. Growing up, but still wanting someone to depend on. Being adult, but not taking responsibilities for your actions. We've all been there. Is it funny though? That depends on your sense of humor.

It's nice to see the girls having fun (and sorrow) with the trouble of life (or "l!fe" as spelled in the title). Great acting then and some nice story development help this movie be above average and if you let it, it will entertain you.

It showed up on my Netflix watchlist after devouring Krysten Ritter's two seasons of highly entertaining Don't trust the B in apartment 23. I was looking for a light girly movie and L!fe happens delivered. I thought the story was surprisingly decent, and Krysten, Kate and even Rachel were pretty good in their limited roles. I recommend it, it was quite funny, girly, and for me at least a little thought-provoking about single mothers without being too drama and tears about it. And of course all the girls look gorgeous even with baby puke on them :) Nice little movie about friendship, plans not working out, motherhood and happy endings.

The title says it all, when precautions aren't taken and risks weren't evaluated, allowing the body to rule over the mind, and nine months later, life happens. As the premise goes, Kim (Krysten Ritter) decided to go ahead with her one night stand anyway when housemate and friend Deena (Kate Bosworth) took the last piece of latex to fuel her own carnal desires, and that lapse costs Kim dearly when she becomes mom to Baby Max (played by Connor and Zachary Ross). This becomes the comedic tale of single motherhood, friendship, romance and the likes, a pure chick flick that walks the path of one's horror story during a moment of indiscretion.

Kim certainly isn't cut out to being a mother, clearly without a proper support structure in place save for housemates Deena and Laura (Rachel Bilson), who between them juggle time to take care of Max in what would be reminiscent of Three Men and a Baby. But of course this time juggle wrecks havoc on every one's lives especially when they're at the crossroads of their individual profession, and having baby at home means less time outside for nights out,

Directed by Kat Coiro who co-wrote the story with Krysten Ritter, which they claim had a lot of their individual characters and traits put into the characters of Kim and Deena, Life Happens plays out the typical insecurities of the female, with the baby in it more for the gimmick. As the central character in which the film revolves around, Kim shows she's not all that perfect, willing to "disown" her child Max so that she could have a shot at establishing a new relationship with Nicolas (Geoff Stults) whom she met at a party, and learnt fleetingly of his disdain for kids. And seriously her character is not all that likable given that innate crutch to push Max to just about anyone to babysit, while she schemes to get laid, to put it crudely.

While the film also tried to show the prejudices faced by single mothers and the many challenges they have to conquer, the story throws in Deena as the blonde who gets all the fun, with a career that is taking of, and almost always in control over the relationships with the opposite sex. And the scene during the double date was one of the best as it exposes just about how close and chummy both Kim and Deena are, and yet fully understanding each other's flaws and amplifying them just to spite the other. Cat fight, someone?

The casting is a little bit strange and needed getting used to because each of them don't really look too comfortable in their roles. Krysten Ritter for the most parts looked like a dead ringer for Anne Hathaway, while Kate Bosworth struggles as the alpha-female Deena. Perhaps the most wasted of all characters here belonged to Rachel Wilson, who plays the bimbo with questionable careers that don't seem to last, present only to lend her star power, and to play up on her character's naivety during her reality show participation as America's Last Virgin. And with this being a chick flick, the male characters were nothing more than one dimensional caricatures mostly portrayed as perfect studs, or cads for not fulling understanding the plight of the woman.

Don't look toward this film for that silver bullet instructional material on how to bring up a baby. It had some elements underlying its point that parenting is a full time job made all the more difficult when there is no support from a spouse, and literally sapping life out of oneself in the care and development of another human being. It's almost similar in treatment to another single mom film titled Motherhood starring Uma Thurman, but this one had a lot more characters involved in raising the baby, and having a bevy of good looking casts in a comedy always helps.

Strange film but I did enjoy. I actually went on a hunt for Kate Bosworth films 'cos like she's a pretty actress and I'm a sexist male so the two go together.

A comedy centered on two best friends (plus another one not in the tag line) who fight to maintain normalcy in their lives after Kim gets pregnant and has a baby.

So KB plays a gorgeous high maintenance bird, as one believes someone of her looks can achieve, and Krysten Ritter, dee one who gets preggers. KB (Deena) shags openly, loves sex and is kind of put upon as a friend to babysit for Max (dee baby) which she does, but she also has a life and and career. It's not her baby.

KR, (Kim) does a great job of being generally flustered, goofy and weird, it's the writing of course. But...

And here I have a jar with the film, because KR has absolutely know connection with the baby actor playing her son. None. Barely does she look at him, he's just something lugged around on her hips. The film itself plays on the hardships of a single mother, but jeez, their was like no chemistry between KR & the baby.

In fact KB interacts more with the baby than the babies mother, look at the scene near the end credits. At first I thought this lack of bonding between mother and baby was going to form a plot point but nothing that interesting happened.

Fairly formulaic film but enjoyable all the same, boy meets girl, both have secrets they don't discuss like people in the real world would, (oooh I have a baby, it's so bad. Gee I'm separated from my wife, ahhgh)

They all lived happily ever after, probably, we'll never know, this isn't franchise material!

Movie was good. But when you have an Aussie in the movie, actually use an Aussie. That guys accent is horrible!

It's literally just watching nothing happen for an hour or two. The girl "friends" are all horrible to each other and the characters are completely uninteresting.

I pretty much only wrote this to say to stay away from this movie.. It was terrible.

And the worst bit of all was Rhys Coiro doing the most horrible "Australian" accent ever. As an Australian myself, he failed worse than abysmally. He sounded like a really odd Kiwi if anything. UGH. Cringeworthy. All of it.

Don't bother.

"Nobody tells you it's gonna be so hard...Yes they do Kim, that's pretty much all people say." Kim (Ritter) and Deena (Bosworth) are best friends. They do everything together. One night when both bring home a guy they discover a problem. One year later they are still best friends but now Kim has a baby. Trying to balance work, friends and her love life all around being a single mother turns out to be harder then she expects. This is a very funny movie that is almost done like an Apatow movie. The dialog is very witty and hilarious and keeps you laughing throughout. The beginning of the movie made me feel (as a parent) a little annoyed at Kim. It felt like she considered the baby a burden and that she didn't really want him. Her feelings did change but that part did bug me a little. Other then that and the movie being a little predictable this was very very funny and I recommend this. You will not be disappointed. I do have to say that this is more on the "chick-flick" side of comedies this will appeal to both men and women. I laughed all the way through. Overall, if you like the Apatow movies you will like this one too. I give it a B+.

Kate Bosworth was great in the movie. Krysten Ritter was great as well. Justin Kirk, who played Henri was great as well. And no he's not French. Rachael Bilson was amazing. They could have made a movie on just her. From Valley of Dolls to America's Last Virgin. She was awesome. So what went wrong? The script didn't have enough development in the relationships. Kim and Deena looked comfortable and their rapid fire exchange showed they had great chemistry but it didn't happen enough, which is why Bilson's character stood out the most since she did it on her own. She was sweet, innocent, fun, kind, and sexy in a sweet girl next door way. Then there's Nicolas and the baby. Why? The story centers around this for a good portion of the movie then Kim finds herself. This could have been Bridesmaid fun. Instead it ends up being a movie that falls flat. It remembers me of Life as We Know It and Friends with Kids. Both which are better than this. But I would love to see Rachael Bilson, Kate Bosworth, Krysten Ritter, and Justin Kirk do a spin off of sorts minus the baby and Nicolas. And Jason Biggs? Wasted effort.

Kim (Krysten Ritter) and Deena (Kate Bosworth) are young adult women with big dreams. Deena wants to "make it" as a current trends writer while Kim, loving dogs, wants to open the first canine shopping mall! But, it becomes a sort of girls interrupted. Both ladies are serial daters who have many one-night stands. Alas, one fateful evening, there is only a single condom in the house. Deena gets it, Kim gets knocked up. Now a single parent to son Max, whose Australian surfer father has bolted, she soon realizes that strollers and diapers are a turn off to some men. Luckily, Kim has a good job for an animal rescue fund raiser (Kristen Johnson) and also walks a large army of dogs each week, where she can keep Max on her back. But, babysitting does become complicated when these gals, plus their roommate Laura (Rachel Bilson) have dates on the same nights! Nevertheless, at a fund raising party, Kim meets good-looking Nicolas (Geoff Stults) and arranges to meet him again. They even bring a date for Deena but sparks don't fly for the blonde lady at all. However, flames start coming for Kim and Nic. But, will Max get in the way? And, could it be that Nicolas has some secrets, too? This is a likable film with very likable stars, especially Ritter. What comic timing she has and such a sweet-and-sour nature, too. The California setting is also nice, as are the fab costumes and funny script. But, naturally, the subject of birth control is rather subdued, with a title such as Life Happens. Life shouldn't happen when gals and guys are smart and prepared for intimacy, even if it means saying no at critical moments. Therefore, young teenage girls shouldn't see this film, only those that have turned 18. Even then, some viewers will not be thrilled with the subject matter, as sex is very prevalent and rough language, too. So, do a reality check, film fans. View this one only after careful consideration, despite its humorous storyline.

L!fe Happens is the latest in a string of chick flicks that aspire to shirk the norms associated with the genre by being more "realistic" and "relatable", presenting life as it, well, happens instead of hitting us in the face with a shirtless Matthew McConaughey. Notice the subversive exclamation mark taking the place of the "i" in "life"? How clever! Doe-eyed Krysten Ritter, a quirky-cute girl in the Zooey Deschanel mould, plays the main character, Kim, and co-authors the screenplay with director Kat Coiro.

Kim and her housemate Deena (Bosworth) engage in a night of debauchery with a guy they each bring home, but lo and behold there's only one condom left, and Deena gets it. As a result, Kim gets pregnant and becomes a single mum, living with Deena and other housemate, the ditzy Laura. Kim juggles motherhood with a job as a dog-walker working under mean boss Francesca (Kristen Johnson), and inadvertently lies about her mummy status to Nicholas (Geoff Stults), a cute guy she meets. Hilarity and drama supposedly ensue.

Now wait a minute – forgive this reviewer if he's mistaken, but that sounds exactly like sticking to chick flick norms. The movie tries so hard to have a hip, indie feel that it slides ever so noticeably down the slippery slope into slickly-packaged, commercialised rom-com territory. You've got the free-wheeling heroine who is suddenly saddled with the responsibilities of single motherhood, the slightly bitchy best friend who also happens to be an advice columnist, the chain-smoking, wine-guzzling boss who treats the heroine like garbage, the hunky prospective love interest whom the heroine misleads and, last but not least, cute dogs.

Despite having something of a plot, the movie unravels rather aimlessly, like the cameraman is hanging around capturing stuff as they, well, happen. The audience gets inundated with inane pop music and the movie awkwardly lurches from comedy to drama. For example, Kim and Nicholas are in the middle of their requisite love scene when something, uh, happens – something that wouldn't be out of place in a gross-out Farrelly Brothers comedy. The filmmakers milk (you'll appreciate the pun after watching the scene) the inherently comedic moment for all the pathos it's worth – the couple argue, Kim stumbles out and drives home, confused, gets into a fight with Deena once she gets home and even gets an angsty bath complete with running mascara. All that's missing is Simple Plan in the background wailing "how could this happen to me?!" The characters are also paper thin, which is unfortunate as the film could have been infinitely better if we cared a little more about them. Admittedly, Ritter is a watchable leading lady and is plenty charming and likable as the protagonist, though one gets the impression she might be better as a slightly meaner character, like the one she now plays on TV in the sitcom Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23. The bitchy-best-friend archetype has been done to death, and done better than Kate Bosworth's ham-fisted attempt. The script also finds every excuse to put Rachel Bilson in skimpy outfits, and takes a stab at satire when her character joins a reality TV show where the last virgin standing wins. Justin Kirk does manage to be quite funny, even though the creepy, socially mal-adjusted character who develops an obsession with Deena has also been done to death.

To its credit, the movie did elicit a few chuckles, if only because the humour is so out of left field. When a non-sequitur hurtles out of the screen, it's a fairly pleasant surprise – while the premise and the characters seem tired and a little old, the jokes don't. For example, Kim gushingly compares Nicholas to a Greek statue, when Deena reminds her that they are typically not very well-endowed and Kim's mother-and-baby yoga classmate shows her with a wacky, disturbing children's book she's working on.

As hard as it wants to separate itself from the pack, L!fe Happens can't shake off the time-honoured chick flick conventions it carries around on its back like Kim's baby Max. Ironically, if it weren't trying so hard, maybe it could have worked. But alas, that's life for you.

Couldn't stand kristens acting. Whatever Jessica Jones name is. Was kinda cringey the whole time. Pass

The thing is: so i get preggers... my life is over. I'm sorry, but to my recollection, sex should be a choice. I think this whole movie is just a waste of time. Of course things will change. Nothing funny came of it, and it gives a terrible message to youth. Come on, I have a baby because I cannot wait to find a condom and have sex.... OMG! my life has changed! not good writing. It was not believable. How about some more hilarious hijinks of having a baby, instead of the inappropriate, "none of my friends want to hang out with me now that I have a baby.... they are still of partying age, but I don't care... they should cater to my whims... because I had a baby... waaah" It wasn't funny, nor did it have good content.

Kim (Krysten Ritter) and Deena (Kate Bosworth) were party girls, but Kim is now a single mom. The surfer douche dad is leaving town, and she's spinning her wheels. She dreams of starting a doggy mall, and just wants to have a little bit fun. Their roommate is the over-sexualized religious virgin Laura (Rachel Bilson).

I like all three ladies in this movie. They just don't have enough funny written jokes. Kat Coiro has professional directing skills for a novice. It's the lack of joke writing skills from Kat Coiro and Krysten Ritter that is problematic. It's as if they expect the premise to be good enough to make the audience laugh. Rachel Bilson's character is kinda funny, but she's just one joke. Kim and Deena have some chemistry but never really takes off as a comedic duo. And then there's the unnatural ending all perfectly wrapped up.

This movie sucks. From the horrible fake Aussie accent of Ross Coiro, to the horrible acting that comes especially from him (he is particularly bad even though he gets little air time. This movie has a lot of mediocre and better talent, but put together they do not add up at all. Seriously save yourself the hassle of watching this and if you still think it is a good idea, you are a jackass, but hey, I do not have the same tastes as everyone else, but there is a reason this movie was not successful and made very little money and that you can find it in discount movie bins all over the place. Honestly this is one movie that shouldn't have been made. If you are desperate for a comedy of the same genre but better, check out what to expect when you're expecting

Krysten Ritter is a terrible actress. Her Acting is way over the the top. The 2 other girls are naturals.

It was a gem.

Don't let the naysayers steer you away. I haven't truly enjoyed a movie like this in a while. Give it a chance and make up your own mind. The worst that could happen is you turn it off after a few minutes.

The characters were smart, and even though it is a little predictable, it was smartly written. Great performances by Krysten Ritter and Kate Bosworth. I also enjoyed the strange character of Henri, and Rachel Bilson was both as ditsy and charming as you would expect.

To be honest, I didn't find a single thing about it to be unlikable. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good laugh and unique characters that will leave an impression. 10/10

Sometimes you need a movie that just winds around pretty clothes, successful dreams and friends who sometimes let you down by mistake.

But this is no 'Clueless. The script actually presumes you may understand Shakespeare jokes and have reached a certain age when you step up and make a success of yourself. The fun female leads don't do clappy hands and girly shrieks when they talk about guys.

Krysten Ritter and Kate Bosworth bring thoughtful performances with a well balanced and light comedic touch. The movie harks back into the delightful froth of the forties where a comedy of errors always leads couples astray.

Share a comfortable laugh at grown-up share housing, accidental baby dating woes and absolutely no Mall visits.