Parents' Guide to Babysplitters

"Side-splitters" may be a more appropriate title, at least for the parents in the audience. Riffing on the conversations many adults have likely had when determining the right time to have children, Babysplitters turns a shocking decision into something relatable. The characters' solution feels in step with how millennials have disrupted many social norms with a practical, self-oriented approach. So writer-director Sam Friedlander takes that concept further, rethinking the childbearing process into something that might not seem like such an outlandish or bad idea -- but then proving why a "timeshare baby" is a terrible idea in a way that's terribly funny.

While their idea is half-baked, the characters are fully drawn, and every action they take comes out of the truth of who they are -- even some of the more ridiculous characters, like Jeff's hip skateboarding boss and a Tinder-swiping fertility doctor. They're all good folks with human flaws who are just doing their best. While being able to afford a baby is a concern, no one here is materialistic. In fact, Jeff is an executive at a farm-to-table company, but he dreams of working in the fields to grow produce. And Emily is a parking enforcement officer -- it's not a job she loves, but it's work she takes pride in. This type of occupation is rarely (if ever) portrayed in the media in a positive light, and Friedlander's inclusion is the kind of thing that's needed to start changing the tone society takes when assuming certain jobs are "undesirable." The same can be said for the main characters' communication skills. While they sound like everyone else, at times making snide comments or calling each other out, they actually communicate really well. No one is weak, they advocate for their beliefs, and they solve problems through respect, understanding, and compromise -- in the funniest of ways.