'She's Having a Baby' retrospective.

(courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

Hola y que tal?

The death of John Hughes on August the 6th left quite the void in me that I decided in his honor to view some of his best work: films such as "Sixteen Candles", The Breakfast Club", "Pretty In Pink", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", and "Planes, Trains & Automobiles. But the film that resonates the most, is the one most consider his worst, or his biggest commercial failure: "She's Having a Baby".

Released back in early 1988, the film came out after "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" which was a big hit for Hughes and its stars, Steve Martin and the late John Candy. But for some obscure reason, no one was ready for a more adult Hughes who dared to question the purpose of marriage, the need for economic stability and finally, the joys and trials of parenthood. Most were content with his cutesy, but often meaty teen movies and subsequent kiddie movies such as, "Home Alone" and "Beethoven". They didn't want a movie that actually made its audience think, laugh and even feel. Personally, I think it was a 'timing' issue. If "Baby" had been released before "Planes", it might've stood a chance, but we'll never know now.

The film feels somewhat autobiographical in tone which is why it succeeds as well as it does. Kevin Bacon plays Jake, a 20-something college student marrying his high school sweetheart (played wonderfully by Elizabeth McGovern), but on the verge of getting cold feet. His superficial best friend (played with brilliant smugness by Alec Baldwin in one of his better roles) tries to talk him out of it (he has his own agenda, of course), but upon marrying her, he must now grow up and be stabilized; this means a career that pays, a house in the suburbs and the good life. Still, he questions the validity of it all..but then, he's thrust into fatherhood.

Many critics were unkind to this film and audiences ignored it in droves; but much like Sam Mendes' "American Beauty" which succesfully combined humor with human drama, John Hughes should've been lauded for making a very stark, very poignant film about the tragedy, pratfall, even joy that is life.

Rent (or buy) this gem of a film. It really was Hughes' best film work.

John Hughes
1950-2009