Life As We Know It: Partly Funny, with Occasional Jokey moments

Its no that this romantic comedy-cum family movie is terrible: some sequences, like the inevitable "first walk" scene are actually quite good, and the writing has some occasional bite.

Its just that there really isn't a compelling reason to commit almost two hours to watch Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel cope with the usual baby mishaps (the puke, the poop, the taking to work) and stumble in and out of their inevitable romantic attachment.

A big part of the picture's near salvation is the supporting cast, and no one moreso than Sarah Burns (who, believe it or not, entered the professional acting ranks as the voice of Barney - yep, that one) as the forthright yet high-strung case worker from child services. Andrew Daly, as henpecked husband and father Scott, and Melissa McCarthy, as the horny neighbourhood busybody, are also standouts.

None of them, however can relieve the overall stasis that plagues this movie almost from the beginning, and Heigl has more chemistry with Josh Lucas (who plays the baby's paediatrician and her temporary love interest) than with her co-lead.

Life as We Know It can be somewhat diverting, but overall, you may want to consider other options.