Film review: 'Maggie's Plan'

It's always like a breath of fresh air to watch Greta Gerwig on screen. But her new film, "Maggie's Plan," is a bit suffocating. No fault on her part, though. She's just as magnetic as ever.

Gerwig plays Maggie, a 30-something New Yorker whose biological clock is a ticking time bomb. She wants a child, and she wants it now. Unlucky at love, she seeks a sperm donor and decides upon Guy (Travis Fimmel), a former college friend who's now a pickle "entrepreneur." (The irony is not lost.)

Her plan of action is thwarted, however, when she falls in love with John (Ethan Hawke), an anthropologist and aspiring writer. The catch has a catch — he's married. The wife, Georgette (Julianne Moore) is icily overbearing and doesn't seem to mind much turning John over to Maggie just as Guy has filled the baby baster.

Fast forward three years. Maggie is loving motherhood with her darling daughter, but supporting John's self-absorbed literary pursuit is taking its toll. Her waning love for him results in a new plan of action. She conspires with Georgette to reunite the former couple, unbeknownst to John.

Directed by Rebecca Miller ("The Private Lives of Pippa Lee" and daughter of Arthur Miller), "Maggie's Plan" feels like a Woody Allen knock-off, minus the laughs. Although the film is billed as a romantic comedy, there's less emphasis on the comedy than the romantic romps going on.

Most of the humor is provided by Maya Rudolph and Bill Hader, who play Maggie's best friends. They're expert advice-dishers, nabbing the best lines. She wears a "What Would Jesus Buy" T-shirt, while he's quipping things like, "Love is messy."

Gerwig makes "Maggie's Plan" a worthwhile watch. Her infectious naiveté is always endearing to behold ("Frances Ha," "Mistress America"). Charm is her forte, and she employs it impeccably as a woman who really just wants the best for everyone. You can't help but love her and her character in this unpredictable, kind-of funny comedy.