In a moment of mild embarrassment, I recently confessed to friends that I had never seen the 1987 classic, Baby Boom. How could I have overlooked Diane Keaton portraying a high-powered New York City consultant who unexpectedly inherits a toddler instead of a fortune? My friends were shocked and questioned my cinematic choices. I tried to defend myself by mentioning I had been preoccupied with films that truly mattered during that era, like Moonstruck, Dirty Dancing, and Broadcast News. Yet, my excuses fell on deaf ears, and after some coaxing, I finally decided to watch the movie, despite my doubts about how well a late ’80s film about a woman balancing career and motherhood would resonate in 2015.
Surprisingly, I found Baby Boom to be a delightful blend of comedy and drama, one that I might have cherished more as a teenager. However, it also made me cringe; many portrayals of a working mother’s struggles with her male colleagues feel eerily relevant even today. Here are my reflections after viewing the film:
- The film opens with images of women in power suits and towering hairstyles, accompanied by a voiceover proclaiming, “Sociologists say the new working woman is the phenomenon of our time.” I chuckled at the notion of “the new working woman” being groundbreaking, yet felt a pang of sadness thinking about the current societal issues we face, like revenge porn.
- Diane Keaton’s character, J.C., is dubbed “The Tiger Lady” at her job, a moniker she seems to embrace. It’s puzzling why she tolerates such a sexist label. On a side note, Diane Keaton appears to have defied aging over the past decades.
- Let’s not forget James Spader, who was undeniably attractive in this film, a fact that some may have forgotten due to his later work in The Blacklist.
- Shoulder pads? Not as terrible as I remember. While they create a linebacker silhouette, there’s something geometrically appealing about that look.
- Those belted suits? Absolutely fabulous! We could take a cue from Michelle Obama, who encouraged belting cardigans, and start rocking those wide belts over shoulder-padded suits again. #trendspotting
- One of the film’s standout moments is J.C. taking a phone call in bed, dressed in a nightgown that mirrors a dress shirt. The presence of a Rolodex on her nightstand made me chuckle, especially as her boyfriend warns her against leaving the city without a speakerphone. Ah, technology at its finest.
- J.C. receives the baby in a swift handoff at the TWA arrivals lounge. This raised several questions for me: how did she bypass airport security and what led to such a bizarre arrangement in the will? Note to self: it’s time to update mine.
- The scene where she drops the baby at the coat check in a fancy restaurant is ludicrous. While intended as comedy, it’s hard to envision such a scenario being accepted in a modern film.
- During a whimsical shopping spree at FAO Schwarz, J.C. gifts her daughter a Cricket doll, the infamous talking toy that asked, “Are we having fun or what?”
- The adoption agency J.C. visits resembles a school principal’s office, and she hands off her child as if it were a yard sale item. The casualness of the child’s transfer between adults is both amusing and unsettling.
- J.C. faces discrimination at work, losing her top account and partnership prospects simply for being a frazzled mother. “I’m not going to turn into Erma Bombeck!” she protests. Her boss coldly reminds her, “You can’t have it all.” This absurdity made me ponder how many women today still face similar hurdles, albeit in less overt ways.
- The friends J.C. meets at the playground sport some comically voluminous outfits and hairstyles that could easily fit into a new American Apparel campaign.
- Her romantic interest, after relocating to Vermont, is played by a young actor named Sam Bennett. I couldn’t help but search “young Sam Bennett” after watching, reflecting on how time affects us all.
- As an interesting tidbit for fans, Baby Boom was adapted into a one-season TV series in 1988 featuring Kate Jackson, among others. Yes, I missed that too, but at least now I can say I’ve seen the film.
In conclusion, revisiting Baby Boom was both enlightening and entertaining. It served as a reminder of how far we’ve come in terms of gender roles, yet also highlighted the challenges that persist. For those of you interested in more content about parenting and navigating life, check out this post on Modern Family Blog or explore Progyny for excellent resources on pregnancy and home insemination. And if you’re considering at-home insemination, Make A Mom offers reputable kits to get you started.
Summary: Watching Baby Boom in 2015 provided amusing, insightful, and sometimes cringeworthy reflections on the journey of working mothers then and now. The film, while a product of its time, resonates with ongoing challenges in gender equality and parenting.
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