In her new movie, "I Don't Know How She Does It," Sarah Jessica Parker's role imitates her reality, since Parker plays a woman who has a time-consuming job as well as a family.
Parker plays Kate Reddy, a finance executive, breadwinner for her family and a super-mom who makes everything from pies to snowmen. To everyone around her, she is a success story. She seems to have it all, as well as have it all together and with the help of her husband, Richard, played by Greg Kinnear, and her best friend, Allison, played by Christina Hendricks, she is able to stay just above the water. However, when Kate is offered and accepts a project that is a significant turning point for her career, she becomes busier than ever. From late-night emails to spur-of-the-moment flights to different states, her job becomes 24/7, which proves difficult when she also tries to make her family her top priority.
The chaos that ensues because Kate attempts to succeed at everything provides for the basis of the comedy. Everyone needs to let go once in awhile and Kate is momentarily torn between the appealing lifestyle of a businesswoman with no attachments and the rewarding role of being a mother and wife.
Although confusing at times, with brief clips of stay-at-home moms commenting on Kate's lifestyle, and the brief shock that Kate might leave her family, the movie is perfect for families.
The underlying theme of the movie is that you can have it all, but at what cost? Will Kate get her priorities straight before it is too late or will she continue to spiral downward?
With stars such as Pierce Brosnan, Kelsey Grammer, Seth Meyers, Olivia Munn, and Jessica Szhor, playing supporting roles, the movie is filled with first-rate actors and witty scenarios depicting real life.
Catherine Chidiac can be reached at catherine.chidiac@student.shu.edu.
