Capsule: "It's Complicated"

"..."

Nancy Meyers has bloomed into nice, easy and enjoyable director since her departure from Charles Shyer. The two were responsible for sudsy affairs such as "Baby Boom" and the 1991 "Father of the Bride." But on her own, Meyers has given us such frothy and fun affairs as "What Women Want" and "Something's Gotta Give." All near-treacle, but that's better than what she did with ex-hubby Shyer. Meyers knows how to make something sweet for grown-ups. Well, it's 2009, and Meyers is at it again with a re-vamped, middle aged love triangle about a baker (Meryl Streep), her lawyer ex-husband (Alec Baldwin) and her courting architect (Steve Martin). And you know what? For the most part, it's comfort food. A semi-shallow Restoration Hardware advertisement, but comfort food nonetheless. For Christmas, it's nice to see something rated R.

It's easy: The movie finds its stride after about a half-hour. That's when the hanky-panky business starts.

- Meryl Streep? She must have sold million-dollar muffins to get her Sanata-Whatever home, but at 60 she's really glowing. She deserves to torn between two men, and she gets to have some fun.

- Alec Baldwin? Don't trust him. But dig how sleazy, slimy and unsteady he is while he tries to court Streep. His emotions are pitiful and painful, yet hysterical too. "Did you see that honey? You know me so well." (In pathetically flirtatious voice).

- Steve Martin? Good for him. A nice, sincere and likable architect. He is the fair opportunity that Streep deserves, and he ought to get more chances at playing it straight. He can do that in addition to wild and crazy.

- Yeah, Jim from "The Office" is fairly cutesy here.

- Ignore Meryl's dead-eyed kids, and boring old friends, and you'll have a nice time. And it has this year's best and probably only pot joke scene.