It's Complicated is a 2009 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Nancy Meyers. It stars Meryl Streep as a bakery owner and single mother of three who starts a secret affair with her ex-husband, played by Alec Baldwin, ten years after their divorce – only to find herself drawn to another man: her architect, Adam (portrayed by Steve Martin). The film also features supporting performances by Lake Bell, Hunter Parrish, Zoe Kazan, John Krasinski, Mary Kay Place, Robert Curtis Brown, and Rita Wilson, among others.
The film was met with average reviews from critics, who praised the acting of its ensemble cast but declared its story rather predictable. It became another commercial hit for Meyers, however, upon its Christmas Day 2009 opening release in the United States and Canada. It played well through the holidays and into January 2010, ultimately closing on April 1 with $112.7 million. Worldwide, It's Complicated eventually grossed $219.1 million, and surpassed The Holiday (2006) to become Meyer's third-highest-grossing project to date.
For their performances, the cast was awarded a National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Award for Best Ensemble Cast the same year. In addition, the film was nominated at both the Critics' Choice Awards and the Satellite Awards and garnered Meyers two Golden Globe nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Screenplay. Streep and Baldwin each were individually recognized with Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor nominations at the Golden Globe and BAFTA award ceremonies, respectively.
Plot
Jane, who owns a successful bakery in Santa Barbara, California, and Jake Adler, a successful attorney, have been divorced for 10 years. They had three children together, two girls and a boy, the youngest of whom has just left for college, leaving Jane feeling lonely. Jake has since married Agness, the much younger woman with whom he cheated on Jane.
Jane and Jake attend their son Luke's graduation from college in New York City, while Agnes remains behind as her son Pedro is ill. The two have drinks and have a pleasant evening reminiscing together, which leads to them having sex. Jane instantly regrets what they've done, while Jake is thrilled and continues to pursue Jane when they return to Santa Barbara. They soon begin an affair.
While Agnes has Jake scheduled for regular sessions at a fertility clinic, Jake is secretly taking medication to decrease his frequent urination, the side effects of which are decreased sperm count and dizziness. After one of his sessions, he has a lunchtime rendezvous with Jane at a hotel. Jake collapses in the hotel room and a doctor is called. The doctor speculates that the reason for Jake's distress may be the medication and says he should stop taking it. Jake and Jane's children know nothing of the affair, but Harley, who is engaged to their daughter Lauren, spots the pair and the doctor in the hotel and endures considerable stress while keeping their secret.
After Jane spends an evening cooking an elaborate meal at Jake's request and he doesn't appear due to Agnes changing her plans, Jane ends the affair and begins seeing Adam, the architect hired to remodel her home who is still healing from a divorce of his own.
On the night of Luke's graduation party in Santa Barbara, Jane invites Adam to the party. She is stoned when he picks her up because she has taken a hit from a marijuana joint that Jake had given her earlier. Before going into the party, Adam smokes some of the joint with Jane. Once inside, they are laughing and happily high, Jake becomes jealous observing them, and after pressing Jane, smokes some with her also. Agness then observes Jake and Jane dancing together and senses they are having an affair.
After the party, Adam and Jane go to Jane's bakery, where they make pain au chocolat together and end the evening with a romantic kiss. Jake and Agness separate, although it is not clear who has left whom, and the kids, sympathetic to Jake's apparent heartbreak, ask him to stay with them at Jane's, where they enjoy a pleasant evening together as a family.
Jake goes into Jane's bedroom and disrobes in an attempt to seduce her, unaware that she has been speaking with Adam via webcam. He sees Jake and Jane is forced to admit to him and her children that while she and Jake did have an affair, it's over and she is not interested in getting back together with him. Adam later tells Jane he cannot continue seeing her because it will only lead to heartbreak.