Released Date in Taiwan: May 7 2010
After nearly 4 year of absence Jennifer Lopez returns to the silver screen with THE BACK-UP PLAN. The film received mixed reviews in the U.S. and scored 4.1 out of 10 on imdb. I wonder if J. Lo has a back-up plan for THE BACK-UP PLAN.
From the get-go THE BACK-UP PLAN is a straight up chick flick. There’s no question about it. Zoe, portrayed by Jennifer Lopez, is a single woman in her 30s. She’s a successful business owner living in New York City. Her original plan is to meet Mr. Right, fall in love, get married, start a family, have a baby and then become a mother. That’s how she has envisioned her life to be – in that exact order. Now as her biological clock is ticking she resorts to her back-up plan – sperm bank. May it be fate or it’s simply meant to be she meets the man of her dream right after insemination. Relationship is already hard enough on its own. With unexpected pregnancy on the way will love once again conquer all? (May I remind you that this is a classic Hollywood romantic comedy and therefore happy ending is in order.)
You might wonder, a modern woman like Zoe who is beautiful, sexy, successful and financially independent, is considered a good catch but remains unwed in her 30s? Perhaps she doesn’t want to settle for less. Nowadays we see lots of single women who have good jobs, great friends and substantial income. They have sustained a certain comfortable lifestyle. If they have to give it up just so that they can be married most women will probably choose to remain single. Some women have insecurity issue toward men, believing that all men are dogs and cannot be trusted. As a result they just turn men away and won’t let them in because when it’s too good to be true it’s probably not true.
At the age of 36 questions as the following are standard protocols when meeting new people.
Q: How old are you now?
A: 36 going on 37.
Q: Are you married?
A: NO.
Q: Are you divorced?
A: NO.
Q: Do you have kids?
A: NO.
Q: What do you have?
A: A Dachshund.
Q: At the age of 36 what are you exactly?
A: A happy single women!
Being single isn’t a crime. In certain places around the world divorce is considered a sin. I’d rather be single than marrying some douchebag for the sake of marriage. Even though divorce rate is on the rise all around the world I believe that marriage is a lifetime commitment.
Many single women in their 30s want kids without the hassle of marriage and husband. Kids are like life insurance policies and you hope to cash in when you’re old and frail. I personally know a few women who believe that marriage is optional but having a kid is a must! They say, you take control of your own fate and be in charge of your destiny! So, if you want to become a mother then just do it.
The story continues. Zoe meets Stan. They quickly fall for each other and their relationship is moving toward the right direction. Stan is tall, dark and handsome. Zoe is intelligent, witty and charismatic. They’re like the perfect couple made in heaven! When something is too good to be true it’s probably not true! Despite her affection for Stan, Zoe begins to question whether this is the real deal or not and senses insecurity toward Stan’s commitment to be the father of her unborn twins. Even though Stan fits the bill but he’s still young, not yet established and unsure of marriage and parenthood. Zoe longs for marriage but also fears that Stan is only Mr. Right now. Such conflicting thoughts put this relationship in jeopardy.
Mr. Right is out there but there’s no guarantee that you’ll meet him when you’re ready to settle down. You might have met him when timing isn’t right. You might not get to marry the love of your life but end up with the person who happens to be available at the time when you’re looking for a significant other to spend the rest of your life with.
Jennifer Lopez is now married with twins. Perhaps her real life experience adds more depth to her performance and she’s actually quite convincing in the role of Zoe. I never care much for her on-screen presence in the past. She was full of attitude no matter what role she played. This time around she seems more real and down to earth and yet whenever she appears her makeup / hair / wardrobe is always impeccable!
Stan, played by Australian newcomer Alex O’Loughlin, is a pleasant eye candy with the most charming smile in this click flick. O’Loughlin is an Irish and Scottish decent. Ladies! Watch out for his scenes when he goes topless. He’s got a body to die for! Even if you don’t care much for J. Lo, that’s perfectly alright. Seeing Alex O’Loughlin going shirtless and smiling on the silver screen is worth the ticket price!
The moral of the story is you never know who you’re going to meet. When love comes knocking on your door what would you do? Art imitates life. But life can be harsh and reality bites. Life cannot be carefully scripted like a movie. Keep your options open. Love happens when you least expect it. Just remember positive reinforcement and be careful what you wish for! No matter what you do with your life being happy is what matters the most.
