Story

Kate Holbrook (Tina Fey) is a highly successful businesswoman working for Round Earth Organic Foods. However at 37, she is longing for a baby and having difficulty getting pregnant. She tries IVF, which fails, and her doctor informs her that her T-shaped uterus makes it highly unlikely that she will ever fall pregnant. At the suggestion of her sister Caroline (Maura Tierney), she decides to try surrogacy.

Kate is matched with prospective surrogate mother Angie, (Amy Poehler) who comes from a completely different social background. Kate is self-disciplined, in control and highly organised, whereas good-natured Angie, who is married to drop-out Carl (Dax Shepard), is chaotic, scheming and fun-loving. Angie moves out of home with Carl and into Kate’s house with hilarious results. Eventually the two learn to compromise and both learn something from the other.

Themes

IVF; surrogate motherhood

Violence

There is some violence in this movie including:

  • verbal fights between Carl and Angie
  • television footage in which a child hits his father in the crotch with a baseball
  • verbal fights between Kate and Angie.

Sexual references

There are some sexual references in this movie, including:

  • Numerous frank discussions about pregnancy, IVF and surrogacy.
  • Carl tells Kate that if Angie has to have sex with another man it will cost more.
  • Kate expresses worry that the baby might be hermaphrodite: “a chick with a dick”.
  • Carl wants Angie to come home because he hasn’t had sex for a few weeks.
  • Carl asks Angie for a ‘quickie’ in the car.
  • Talk about periods and boobs.
  • Kate’s boss Barry tells Angie the secret of his success is having a big penis.

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

There is some use of substances in this movie, including drinking at home, in a bar and a nightclub.

Nudity and sexual activity

Scenes of this nature nclude women in revealing clothing and some kissing.

Product placement

The following products are displayed or used in this movie: Dr Pepper, Red Bull and Pringles.

Coarse language

This movie contains mild coarse language.

Ideas to discuss with your children

Baby Mama is a funny movie about a serious subject. The characters are all somewhat stereotyped, such as the successful businesswoman, the ‘white-trash’ female and the pony-tailed, tree-hugging boss of Round Earth Foods. The main messages from this movie are that life doesn’t always go as planned and not to force your own values onto others. Parent who would like to discuss the values in this movie could talk about the effects of being judgemental.

This movie could also give parents the opportunity to discuss with their children issues such as IVF, surrogacy and single parenting.

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Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

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