Remarkably entertaining despite Stretching Credibility

Rating: 7/10 (15 June 2007)

Although the film was enjoyable and lived up to the critical praise it received, there was one major premise that rang false.
The story in a nutshell is that Alison (Katherine Heigl), a TV reporter, meets unemployed Ben (Seth Rogen) in a local bar, becomes pregnant from him that same night, and spends the rest of the movie coping with her predicament and the relationship. There are several funny incidents involving her gynecologists, her sister, and their adventures trying to enter an exclusive club.
What was not at all credible was that Alison would have pursued any kind of ongoing relationship with Ben in the real world. Alison was a very attractive woman who probably could have dated anyone, and could hardly go anywhere without being hit upon. Ben was just the opposite: unattractive, overweight, with no money, no job, no career prospects, and friends who were a bunch of losers. When she learned she was pregnant, I couldn't believe she would call him about it, since she otherwise had little interest in him. She certainly did not need him for his breadwinner's role, and she showed little chemistry for him other than their impending parenthood. However, I might concede that the one-night stand itself may have been plausible because they were drunk.
This was one of the very few movie couples I rooted against and hoped that their relationship would collapse; I won't spoil the outcome for you. The other couple in the film -- Alison's sister Debbie (Leslie Mann) and her husband (Paul Rudd) Â– was very likable, credible and worthy of my support.
There were also incidents in the movie like the trip to a Vegas strip club and dinner at expensive restaurants that I did not see how Ben paid for with his meager bank balance.
If you can overlook what I consider these major stumbling blocks of credibility, then the film was fine. I, however, could not ignore them. The other characters in the movie like Alison's sister and brother-in-law, the club bouncer and Ben's buddies were sharply drawn and highly believable. The pacing and music were good compliments to the story.