Baby Boom (1987)

Baby Boom is a buoyant, big-hearted comedy with a sharp New York edge, and it’s powered by Diane Keaton at her most effortlessly watchable—funny in the moment, touching without ever begging for it. The film takes the familiar career-versus-family dilemma and treats it like a lively juggling act, finding humor in the chaos while rooting for its heroine’s intelligence and grit. Its vibe is pure late-’80s wish-fulfillment with a warm romantic glow, the kind that makes you relax into the story and enjoy watching a life get rebalanced. It’s not the choice if you want gritty realism or subtle social critique, but if you’re on the fence and craving something charming, entertaining, and genuinely uplifting, this is a lovely bet.

Baby Boom is clearly aiming to be a glossy, feel-good fable about a hard-charging career woman learning to balance ambition, love, and motherhood, and it does have an easy charm and a warmly watchable lead performance. The problem is it plays like a checklist of ’80s setups: the baby-as-chaos device, the cartoonish workplace villains, and a career path that’s more wish fulfillment than remotely believable. The humor and “having it all” message can feel dated, especially in how it simplifies both parenting and professional life into neat, crowd-pleasing beats. If you want a cozy, low-stakes rom-com with a sentimental streak, it’ll do the job; if you’re hoping for something sharper, more realistic, or less cliché, you’ll likely roll your eyes.