7 photosRachel Bilson

Rodrigo Santoro, who made a name for himself as the badass, heavily pierced Xerxes in 300, has gone decidedly less badass in his next role as J. Lo’s husband in the pregnancy ensemble romcom What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Wow. That sentence just sent a wicked chill down my spine. Say a prayer for poor Rodrigo before you go to bed tonight. (THR)

In happier, more sensible news, J.B. Smoove, most known for his uproarious (and I NEVER use that word) Curb Your Enthusiasm character Leon Black, will takes his talents to Sacha Baron Cohen‘s The Dictator. Unfortunately, they’ve decided to make the details of this move a closely guarded secret, so we’ll have to just assume that Smoove’s character will be some sort of awesome guy. Deal?

The comedy all-star parade previously known as The Hand Job (now known as the more marketable The To Do List) adds two one familiar name and one familiar face to its roster. The sex comedy starring Aubrey Plaza added Rachel Bilson and the ubiquitous Agent Coulson of the Marvel films universe, Clark Gregg. These two will join (deep breath) Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Alia Shawkat, Mae Whitman, Johnny Simmons, Donald Glover, Connie Britton, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Scott Porter, D.C. Pierson and Dominic Dierkes. (Playlist)

7 photosRachel Bilson

Kim (Krysten Ritter) and Deena (Kate Bosworth) are BFF roommates. One night when there’s only one condom left, Kim has unprotected sex and gets pregnant. The lesson, ladies, is: always keep an extra stash of condoms. Deena helps with the baby and tries to help Kim start dating again.

Coiro manages to make lip-syncing to Chamillionaire seem cool. I think the sheer omission of hairbrushes as microphones is the key. But Coiro has fun in the editing, with jump cuts and speed ramping to make genre tropes pay off a punchline. Deena’s library hookup is all in the timing.

For the sheer fact that you get to watch three pretty girls (Rachel Bilson is their other roommate, the virgin Laura) be charming, L!fe Happens is a tolerable date movie. Bosworth is awesome, adding “dude” and “man” to sentences like a feminist Spicoli. She can eat an apple judgmentally. They make her too the extreme on the emotionally stunted man hater front, but Bosworth makes a happy dance look cute.

7 photosKate Bosworth

There is some refreshing honesty about the realities of raising kids. Kim breast feeds simply because she doesn’t have money for formula. The dialogue is pretty snappy too, and has a light touch with the virgin jokes. Laura comes across as innocent, but noble. These women do a really good job of raising the baby, so those are positiv role models to put on screen.

At that point it’s shocking when the film pulls a Hollywood cliché. Dreamboat Nathan (Geoff Stults) makes a negative comment about kids, so Kim pretends the baby is Deena’s. Then Kim and Deena have to keep up the ruse. Why spoil this character-driven dramedy with a gimmick out of a Kate Hudson movie? At least the moment that gives Kim away is a Something About Mary worthy shocker.

The script by Coiro and Ritter gives the characters generic jobs, because all these movies have to have some end game. Deena is an author and Kim is a dog walker with big plans for her own dog mall. That establishes Deena’s rise and Kim’s stagnation, and gives Deena more opportunities to espouse theories on gender roles. For that reason it feels more functional than organic to the story.

L!fe Happens got the characters, the bonding and the tone right, so that’s a triumph. You could almost forgive the clichéd baby secret and the spelling out of themes via plot devices. We won’t, but I’m ready to see what Coiro and Ritter do next because I think they’ve got something to say and they’ll keep getting better. L!fe Happens is a pretty good start.

This entire week we’re focusing on the girls of New York, I Love You, an anthology of filmic love letters to NYC, which opens this Friday.  Our first girl is Rachel Bilson, who holds a special, warm, pillow-topped place in my otherwise jaded heart.  If only she wasn’t engaged to Anakin Skywalker we could run away together and live happily ever after on a tropical island, relying simply on coconut milk and intense passion as sustenance.  I’d even forgive her for starring in Jumper, and that takes a ton of will power on my part.  I mean, did you even see that movie, Rachel?  Not even Sam Jackson’s platinum blond hair could save it.

A word from Rachel: “It’s great playing someone who is not like me at all. I’m really a nice girl, so it’s fun to be a bitch, then come home and be myself again.”

I feel the same way about my role at work.  Boy, do I act like a big, catty bitch around the office.  It’s all about “Talk to the hand” this, and “Have some scalding hot coffee in your face” that.  It’s exhausting to keep up the persona.  

Here are some pics of a nice girl being naughty after the jump!

A word from Rachel: “It’s great playing someone who is not like me at all. I’m really a nice girl, so it’s fun to be a bitch, then come home and be myself again.”