Writer: Audrey Ker

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Watch this if you liked: “The Switch”, “When In Rome”, “The Ugly Truth”

Parenting. It's the one thing that either couples look forward to, or they avoid talking about it until it's absolutely necessary. But what if the couple has nothing in common with each other, except for the fact that they are suddenly entrusted with the giant responsibility of raising a child?

Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl star as Eric Messer and Holly Berenson respectively in this rom-com, where they are suddenly made legal guardians of their goddaughter Sophie after a devastating accident left Sophie's parents - Eric & Holly's best friends - dead. Messer and Holly don't like each other very much, but for the sake of their goddaughter (whom they adore very much), they have to put aside their differences and make things work.

The thing about parenting films like this is the vast amount of jokes poking fun at the struggles of being a parent, and "Life As We Know It" brings them out rather well. You can find scenes like handling dirty diapers (a crowd pleaser), feeding the baby, trying to get the baby to stop crying at all costs, and many others. But aside from all the jokes, "Life As We Know It" also showcases the joy of being a family. Director Greg Berlanti shows us that parenting is tough, but amidst the difficulties, if the couple works together as a team, things might just fall into place in the end.

Heigl is gorgeous as the up-and-coming restaurateur; she also has some of the best lines in the film. Setting aside the clumsy girl stereotype in her other movies, Heigl shows that she can hold her own in comedy without using so much slapstick to garner laughs. Duhamel however, puts aside his uniform in "Transformers" to become the grungy, messy (excuse the pun) but very attractive Messer. Their chemistry together is palpable and very charming. They'd definitely 'make a cute couple' as one character puts it! Their interaction with the toddler is great to watch as well. Look out for the scene of Sophie's first steps, where you'll get to see the movie poster frame play out and it's hilarious!

Watch this if you're a fan of Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel, or if you are a parent yourself. It's great to look back at the struggles you've gone through and laugh about it sometimes because life - as we know it - is definitely not easy.

Cinema Online, 19 October 2010