It's Complicated

Ten years after their divorce, Jane and Jake Adler return to the same city for their son's college graduation, and old sparks quietly ignite. What starts as a casual reunion soon evolves into a clandestine affair, complicated by Jake's marriage and Jane's own developing love life with her architect boyfriend. The situation tests loyalties on multiple levels, forcing Jane to rethink what she wants from romance, family, and the life she has built. As friends and children weigh in, she must decide how far she is willing to bend the rules for desire while trying to keep her family together. The film keeps the tone light even as the relationships become deliciously tangled. It stays playful and warm, never turning too dark.

Released in 2009, It's Complicated was directed by Nancy Meyers and based on an original screenplay. The film brings together Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin for a glossy, witty exploration of love, family, and second chances, set against stylish interiors.

With a worldwide gross of $219,103,655 on an $85,000,000 budget, the film demonstrated strong audience appeal and solid profitability for its studio, and helped anchor Universal's late 2000s rom com slate, proving grown up romance could draw broad viewers around the world.

Its chic Los Angeles milieu, sharp dialogue, and Streep's poised performance helped reaffirm Nancy Meyers's signature take on mature romance. The film contributed to casual conversations about second chances, while its polished production design and soundtrack left a recognizable mark on mainstream rom coms, influencing later stylish comedies.

Critics generally welcomed the light tone and Streep's charm, though some noted the film stays within Meyers's glossy, polished worldview. The movie explores balancing desire with responsibility after divorce, the freedom of reinventing oneself, and how forgiveness and humor can soften the bumps of imperfect relationships.