Richard Crouse

Baby Mama is a great example of a formulaic comedy almost saved by a very likeable cast.

SNLers Tina Fey and Amy Poehler headline the story of Kate (Fey), a single, infertile—she’s told she only has a million-to-one chance of getting pregnant—thirty-seven year old businesswoman so desperate to have a baby she hires Angie, an inappropriate South Philly wild child (Poehler) to be her surrogate.

When Angie’s and her boyfriend split she lands on Kate’s doorstep looking for a place to stay. Kate welcomes her into her newly baby proofed luxury apartment and tries to smooth out some of Angie’s rough edges—no more hair dye or Red Bull—in an attempt to turn her into the perfect expectant mom.

Baby Mama is well cast with Fey, Poehler, love interest Greg Kinnear and comic relief Steve Martin handing in admirable performances, but you just have to wonder what they could have done if they had been given a script equal to their talents. They squeeze out whatever humor and heart there is to be had here, but the laughs are scarce and the situations so predictable—Poehler and Fey sing  Girls Just Wanna Have Fun… big surprise!—so clichéd that by the end the main feeling I was left with was disappointment because of the movie held so much promise and delivered so little.

Baby Mama isn’t a complete waste of time, Poehler has some inspired moments, but it is a big waste of a talented cast.