Product: The Next Best Thing (2000)
Rating: 4.0
Second best, perhaps...
In this attempt to illustrate modern family configurations, 'The Next Best Thing' had a bit too much of an agenda for me. It brings up a lot of issues, most of which more for me make the 'main point' recede into the background.Approaching this as a social concern issue, at different parts of the film I would have different responses. Certain by the end of the film, as the child had come to recognise Robert as 'dad', it would only do harm to the child to break this relationship. However, the question of whether there is a realistic prospect of even the best of friends living together in such a manner as Abbie and Robert, when both are likely (and in fact in the movie, did, albeit rather perfunctorially until the end) to want to continue to have intimate adult relationships before long, no matter how much they subordinate these desires in consideration of the child. It is a family arrangement almost certainly doomed to failure, particularly given Abbie's history of not being able to achieve a successful, sustained relationship.With regard to the film as itself, Rupert Everett is the saving grace of the film. Madonna is not, I think, as bad as many people think, in this film. She does a good and credible job. But her character lacked a multi-dimensionality that the script tried to hide by interjecting diversions (the yoga, the unconventional household arrangement, etc. -- these things are intended to give more 'character' to the Madonna's character, or, like a magician's assistant, divert your attention from the fact there's not much substance there). Everett's character is only somewhat more fleshed out, but only in one real direction.The subplots are, alas, unsuccessful -- we don't get enough detail or enough emotion. Who is this person who died at the beginning? Beyond knowing his family didn't like him until he was dead, and knowing that high liturgical funerals are not to his liking, we don't know much. Yet this is, I believe, supposed to be a critical issue in the film--acceptance of varying styles of families, and the problems that arise from their lack of legal standing.I applaud movies like this that try to combat the various forms of prejudice out there. As non-traditional families become more the norm than the exception, a greater understanding of the people in those relationships is very important. I just wish for better vehicles than this, that have more believable characters (and more fully-human characters) and more credible situations.Overall, I enjoyed the film, and I am a sucker for a happy ending. But, is it happy? When will the relationship with Abbie's husband cease to work out? Will Robert as a single father ever form a successful relationship? Are they still doomed to failure? I doubt a sequel will be produced to answer these questions.