SMART PEOPLE with Reel Babies

As a new father, you discover new and wonderful things about the world that you've either forgotten or never knew existed. Things like how toes can be the funniest things in the world, or how your kid licking Velcro will cause her to have the most quizzical look (can't remember the last time I licked Velcro) , or that there's a whole sub-culture of baby-related events in this city (Halifax, NS) frequented by "at-home" Moms or Dads looking for some normalcy.
My resourceful wife introduced me to this sub-culture by inviting me to a special showing of SMART PEOPLE for anyone with young children (AKA "Reel Babies"). I went to the theatre weary as to what to expect...and what I expected was almost right with some small caveats: this theatre was jam-packed with Mommies and Babies (there was a grand total of 3 fathers there including me...I counted) all cradling or rocking or feeding or soothing their lil' ones. The front of the theatre had strollers (both collapsible and not) lined up like cars on a ferry. A change table large enough for three babies was set up to one side (often there was a line-up for this). A toy play area was set up for some of the older kids if they got bored. And EVEN a microwave should you need to nuke your baby bottles. These were the necessities of survival for this world all provided by the movie theatre. And I tell ya...you've never fully experienced a movie until you try to listen to one through the swell of baby coos and cries...and it wasn't so bad.
The lights dim (not so much so you can still get around to change baby if needed)...and the screen comes up...and the sound is a little lower than normal...but it's loud enough to be heard over the rampant babiness.
On to SMART PEOPLE, or as I'd title it, "How pompous people act if they think they're so smart that every one else has to live up to THEIR expectations". For the sake of this review and conciseness, I'll refer to it under it's original title.
SMART PEOPLE stars Dennis Quaid (socially awkward Professor Lawrence Wetherhold), Sarah Jessica Parker (pleasant and "straight-shootin'" Doctor Janet Hartigan), Thomas Haden-Church (sophomoronic brother of the professor, Chuck Wetherhold), and Ellen Page (stiff, smart, and un-Juno daughter of the professor, Vanessa Wetherhold).
Previews make out this movie to be similar to the brilliant and hilarious JUNO but on the conservative slant. SMART PEOPLE is conservative but the snappy repartee between characters never lives up to that billing.
Ellen Page does a watered down Juno here for her role as a Young Republican daughter looking for fatherly acceptance.
Dennis Quaid pulls in a strong effort trying to hide angst and sorrow behind pompous intelligence.
Sarah-Jessica Parker was all vanilla. She fell into the background and didn't shine even though she was the main love interest. I kept expecting her to talk about Mr. Big. She'll forever by typecast as the sensible dating girl.
Thomas Haden-Church shines brightest of all bringing college humour when the smart dialogue fails.
If you take away one thing from this review, SMART PEOPLE is not JUNO. If you go down expecting that, you'll be disappointed. SMART PEOPLE isn't a bad movie either. It's riddled with nice interactions and funny lines over a half-decent plot.
If you take two things from this review: for all those Moms whose whole day is taking care of their children and crying out to be normal once and awhile, show them some love, people! They deserve it!

7 Crying Babies out of 10