Baby Mama (2008)

Director:

Michael McCullers

Writer (WGA):

Michael McCullers (written by)

Release Date:

25 April 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Would you put your eggs...in this basket?

Plot:

A successful, single businesswoman who dreams of having a baby discovers she is infertile and hires a working class woman to be her unlikely surrogate.

Plot Keywords:

Elevator | Friendship | Unplanned Pregnancy | Male Female Relationship | Unwed Pregnancy

Awards:

1 nomination

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Amy Poehler	...	Angie Ostrowiski
Tina Fey	...	Kate Holbrook
Greg Kinnear	...	Rob Ackerman
Dax Shepard	...	Carl Loomis
Romany Malco	...	Oscar
Sigourney Weaver	...	Chaffee Bicknell
Steve Martin	...	Barry
Maura Tierney	...	Caroline
Stephen Mailer	...	Dan
Holland Taylor	...	Rose Holbrook
James Rebhorn	...	Judge
Denis O'Hare	...	Dr. Manheim
Kevin Collins	...	Architect / Rick
Will Forte	...	Scott
Fred Armisen	...	Stroller Salesman
John Hodgman	...	Fertility Specialist
Siobhan Fallon	...	Birthing Teacher (as Siobhan Fallon Hogan)
Thomas McCarthy	...	Kate's Date (as Tom McCarthy)
Jason Mantzoukas	...	1 / 2 of Gay Couple
Dave Finkel	...	1 / 2 of Gay Couple
Brian Stack	...	Dave
Felicity Stiverson	...	Ashley - Wiccan
Anne L. Nathan	...	Bookstore Clerk
Jay Phillips	...	Boo-Boo Buster
Kathy Searle	...	Cool Mom
Almeria Campbell	...	Maternity Nurse
Alice Kremelberg	...	Rob's Daughter
Catherine Rose	...	Caroline's 4-Year-Old
Ian Colletti	...	Caroline's 7-Year-Old
Eric Zuckerman	...	Community Member #1
Frank Rodriguez	...	Community Member #2
Diane Chen	...	Community Member #3
Andra Eggleston	...	Waitress
Andrew Hillmedo Jr.	...	Dante
Jon Glaser	...	Vegan Waiter
Erica Berg	...	Yoga Mom
Curt Carlson	...	Bailiff
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kordelia	...	Waitress (as Kordelia Mages)
Andrea Castro	...	Chaffee's Nanny (uncredited)
Kimberly Dorsey	...	Neighbor with Toy Poodle (uncredited)
Antwoin Hagood	...	Clubber (uncredited)
Torrance Harvey	...	Lamaze Dad (uncredited)
Mark A. Keeton	...	Denim Suit Guy (uncredited)
Kimberly Magness	...	Lead Hip Hop Dancer (uncredited)
Lana May	...	Hot club dancer (uncredited)
Annie Rohling	...	Patron at Restaurant (uncredited)
Giovanni Roselli	...	The Club Guido (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael McCullers

Writing credits (WGA)
Michael McCullers		(written by)

Produced by
John Goldwyn	....	producer
Jill Sobel Messick	....	executive producer
Lorne Michaels	....	producer
Louise Rosner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jeff Richmond

Cinematography by
Daryn Okada

Film Editing by
Bruce Green

Casting by
Avy Kaufman

Art Direction by
David Swayze

Set Decoration by
Susan Bode		(as Susan Bode-Tyson)

Costume Design by
Renee Ehrlich Kalfus

Makeup Department
Richard Dean	....	makeup department head
Donna Marie Fischetto	....	hair co-department head
Michelle Johnson	....	hair co-department head
Jenn 'Jorge' Nelson	....	co-head makeup department
Stephanie Pasicov	....	on-set special makeup effects artist
Anita Roganovic	....	key hair stylist (as Anita Lausevic)
Julie Teel	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David Bausch	....	production supervisor
Louise Rosner	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stephen Lee Davis	....	first assistant director
Michael Pitt	....	first assistant director: additional photography
Michael Pitt	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Glen Aldous	....	scenic
Steve Brennan	....	key on-set dresser
Jerry DeRogatis	....	set dresser
Steven Glazman	....	storyboard artist
Alex Gorodetsky	....	charge scenic artist
Bruce Lee Gross	....	leadman
Jay Hendrickx	....	camera scenic artist
Gina Herold	....	art department coordinator
Gregory Hill	....	assistant art director
Mark Hurtado	....	storyboard artist
Heather Danielle Kane	....	property master
Robin McAllister	....	assistant property master
Victor Morales	....	scenic
Daniel Rosenfeld	....	scenic shopman
Amy Safhay	....	lead greensperson
Omar Vaid	....	set dresser
Greg Voth	....	graphic artist: props
James Whelan	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Robert Althoff	....	sound re-recordist
Paul Aulicino	....	sound effects editor
Allan Byer	....	sound mixer
Marc Deschaine	....	first assistant sound editor
Marc Fishman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tony Lamberti	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michelle Pazer	....	dialog editor
Paul Pouthier	....	second boom operator
Becky Sullivan	....	supervising sound editor
David Williams	....	dialogue editor

Visual Effects by
Akemi Abe	....	compositor
Akemi Abe	....	digital artist
Ryan Beadle	....	digital I/O
Sam Dabbs	....	end titles
Shaina Holmes	....	digital compositor
Sean Kennedy	....	digital effects artist: Pacific Vision Productions
Paulina Kuszta	....	visual effects coordinator
Madhava Reddy	....	digital intermediate
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration

Stunts
Jill Brown	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunt coordinator
Joe Mancini	....	precision driver

Camera and Electrical Department
K.C. Bailey	....	still photographer
Kelly Britt	....	lighting technician
Stephen Consentino	....	steadicam operator
Jonathan A. Davidson	....	grip
Andy Day	....	gaffer
Jamie Gallagher	....	daily generator operator
Dennis Green	....	24 frame video operator
James Heerdegen	....	grip
Joel Holland	....	digital video assist operator
Michael A. Leo	....	rigging best boy
Chris Lombardozzi	....	generator operator
Bruce MacCallum	....	lead camera operator
William MacGhee	....	electrician
Bobby Mancuso	....	first assistant camera
Charlie Marroquin	....	key grip
Lance Mayer	....	libra head technician
Ed Nessen	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Heather Norton	....	first assistant camera
Leon Sanginiti	....	second assistant camera: aerial unit
Gerard Sava	....	camera operator: additional photography
Mark Schmidt	....	camera operator: "a" camera: Philadelphia
Craig Striano	....	technocrane operator
Andrew Sweeney	....	dolly grip
David J. Thompson	....	camera operator: "b" camera, Philadelphia
Craig Vaccaro	....	key rigging grip
Mark Walpole	....	first assistant camera: aerial unit
Yueni Zander	....	camera loader

Casting Department
Elizabeth Dionne	....	casting manager
Lois J. Drabkin	....	casting associate
Barbara McNamara	....	extras casting director
Leeba Zakharov	....	casting assistant
John Girod	....	extras casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Susan Bakula	....	costume shop supervisor
Trenee Clayton	....	set costumer
Barbara Hause	....	wardrobe supervisor
Bryan Mathison	....	set costumer
Alethea McElroy	....	set costumer
Brianna Patterson	....	costume production assistant
Jennifer Rogien	....	assistant costume designer
Elizabeth Shelton	....	associate costume designer
Adam Watt	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
David S. Clark	....	first assistant editor (as Dave Clark)
Ally Garrett	....	assistant editor
Christian Miglio	....	first assistant editor
Carrie Puchkoff	....	assistant editor: New York
Jeff Smithwick	....	digital film colorist
Lora Sorrentino	....	editorial production assistant
Laura Steiger	....	first assistant editor (as Laura Yanovich)
Lee Wimer	....	color timer
Mark Sahagun	....	digital intermediate editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Andrew Dorfman	....	music editor
Rick Giovinazzo	....	orchestrator
Kathy Nelson	....	music supervisor
Jason Poss	....	score supervisor
Tim Rodier	....	music preparation
Fred Vogler	....	scoring mixer
Gina Zimmitti	....	orchestra contractor

Transportation Department
James Fanning	....	transportation captain
Amber R. Kirsch	....	transportation

Other crew
Billy Arrowood	....	location manager: Philadelphia
Pamela Bertini	....	assistant production coordinator
Patrick Bevilacqua	....	additional production assistant
Thomas Bianco	....	production accountant
Thomas 'Doc' Boguski	....	production coordinator: Philadelphia
Nick Bommer	....	asset manager
Emily Brownell	....	stand-in
Sarah Cappetta	....	office production assistant
Greg Connolly	....	stand-in: male lead
Angela Cutrone	....	production assistant
Lolly Daskal	....	location scout
Logan Wolfe Edler	....	production assistant
Ryan Ferguson	....	location assistant
Scott Ferlisi	....	location assistant: New York
Ramon Flowers	....	stand-in
Lowell Freedman	....	set production assistant
Niko Godfrey	....	accounting clerk
Eric Gurian	....	assistant: Tina Fey
Brian Hershkowitz	....	production assistant
James Hinton	....	assistant accountant
Julie Kuehndorf	....	unit publicist
Harry Lapham	....	key set production assistant
Jessica Lichtner	....	script supervisor
Melanie Lopes Lumelleau	....	second assistant accountant
Kristyn Macready	....	set production assistant
Talia Mayer	....	production assistant
Jason A. McCauley	....	location scout: Philadelphia
Andrew McGovern	....	office production assistant
Michael L. Mizrahi	....	location assistant
Kyle O'Brien	....	production accountant: New York
Dana Palmer	....	assistant: John Goldwyn
Joseph S. Patire	....	shop craftsmen
Monica Perez Gelbman	....	post-production accountant
Meredith Petty	....	assistant to executive producer
Patricia Porter	....	payroll accountant
Justin Reid	....	location scout
Dawn Rosado	....	location assistant
Yorgo Stathopoulos	....	assistant location manager
Anita Sum	....	production coordinator
Wendy Taylor	....	location coordinator
Melissa Tomjanovich	....	assistant: M. McCullers
Gayle Vangrofsky	....	location manager
Denise Violante	....	production assistant
Laura Lynn Berrios	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Faya Madrid	....	crew: second unit (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Broadway Video
• Relativity Media (in association with)

Distributors

• United International Pictures (UIP) (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• fX Network (2010) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Picture Mill, The  titles
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Post Factory NY  post-production facilities
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate

Also Known As:

Maman porteuse (Canada: French title) [fr]
Rendiemme (Estonia) [et]
Uma Mãe para o meu bebê (Brazil) [pt]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, language and a drug reference.

Runtime:

USA:99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | UK:12A | Singapore:PG | USA:PG-13 (certificate #44286) | Ireland:12A | Canada:G (Québec)

Filming Locations:

210 Riverside Drive, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Broadway Video

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Angie and Kate are driving through Kate's neighborhood, all of the parked cars have front and back license plates, resembling New York state plates. In Pennsylvania, only back license plates are required.

Quotes:

Angie Ostrowiski: You people and your space age cars.

Movie Connections:

References "Dateline NBC" (1992)

Soundtrack:

December

Not Quite Groundbreaking, But Exceeds Expectations

Saturday Night Live, whether or not you consider it still funny, is going through a great period. Ratings are fairly high coming off of the writers' strike. The show is riding the Democratic nomination race wave pretty well, featuring either Clinton, Obama, or both in at least one sketch per episode. Due to their recent successes, it makes sense that SNL's comedians want to branch out into movies like they successfully did in the 90s with Wayne's World. Baby Mama serves as one of these movies, featuring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler at the helm and at least two more members from the SNL team in the background, namely Will Forte and Fred Armisen. Steve Martin, a frequent SNL host, can also be found in this movie. After reading the character list, it's clear where the SNL comparisons and references come from.

Considering its origins and its genre abroad, I went into the theater with relatively low expectations. At most, I hoped for a sort of feel-good comedy that had a lot of laugh scenes that made up for some corny drama scenes. I got the laugh scenes, but surprisingly, the drama scenes weren't very corny. Baby Mama, as can be determined from the title, deals with Kate Holbrook (Tina Fey's character), a powerful businesswoman and executive in an organic foods company and her burning desire to have a baby and build a family, regardless of the difficulties. Unlike most comedies, this is actually a surprisingly serious topic, which enhances the dramatic parts of the plot quite a bit. You can actually take the characters and the story line quite seriously. Actually, Kate's character is almost entirely serious, aside from the occasional jokes on how uptight and socially inept she can be. Most of the laughs come from Angie Ostrowiski (Amy Poehler's character), a not exactly high-class girl working for Chaffee Bicknell's (played by Sigourney Weaver) surrogacy agency that offers to be Kate's surrogate after Kate attempts and fails to get pregnant multiple times. As can be expected from Poehler, Angie is completely and totally ridiculous. Poehler is actually extremely good in this role, since she manages to play a "white trash" stereotypical character without coming off as corny, or at least most of the time.

Don't get me wrong; there are times when you can't help but cringe. A small portion of the humor is just far too corny, and can't make you laugh no matter how ready you are to laugh. However, anyone who watches Saturday Night Live is already used to this, since everyone knows that not every SNL skit is funny. Not by a long shot. However, the entire movie is irresistibly cute. The character development is fantastic, and Poehler and Fey working together really carries the entire movie. In fact, the men in the story are almost entirely irrelevant. Carl (played by Dax Shepard), Angie's low-class, tactless boyfriend, could have been much funnier than he actually is. Rob (played by Greg Kinnear), although a nice character and a nice addition, really only serves as an attractive male (and yes, he is very attractive in this movie) and someone to move the story along a little bit. Barry (played by Steve Martin), the president of the organic food company Kate works for, is an absolutely insane hippie that provides a lot of humor to the parts of the movie where Kate is at work. Five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact, anyone? (You'll get it when you watch the movie.)

At the end of the movie, you do really feel for the characters, or at least Angie and Kate. The other characters are sort of background even at the end, but they're still necessary, since there would be no offset to the Fey-Poehler humor that can just be taken in small doses to avoid becoming too corny to be enjoyable. I did find myself screaming on the inside a little at the end, because there's a gigantic time gap that left a lot of questions unanswered and irritated me quite a lot, but in reality, in order to fill out the entire story, this would either have to be a 3 hour movie, or there would have to be a sequel. This isn't the kind of movie to have a sequel, so I can see why they did it. I just think that some of the time that they wasted on Carl could have been used to develop that a little more.

Overall, Baby Mama is cute, and that's all I can see it ever trying for. It also seems to me to test the waters a little bit for a Fey and Poehler match-up that, when smoothed out a little around the edges, will be a very strong comedy duo. I did enjoy this film very much, and I would highly recommend it to someone who watches SNL frequently and likes Poehler's style of humor, or someone who just wants to go to the movies to have fun and feel good. It's certainly worth it. However, what I find more significant at the moment is my excitement for films in the future that will feature Fey and Poehler, and I truly hope that the film industry doesn't miss out on this potentially hilarious team. I'll be eagerly awaiting the day when I see them working together again - this is a first time, and it can only get better from here.