It's difficult not to like this John Hughes movie which explores the relationship between Jefferson Briggs (Bacon) and Kristy (McGovern) from their wedding day till their baby's birth. The movie centers around how Bacon matures to become a responsible family man. The movie is portrayed through the eyes of new graduate Briggs and the audience moves along with his fears, plight and fortunes. Although not entirely original, there are moments throughout that you will empathize and laugh along with, mainly because we all went through this before. This is one of Hughes' definitive films from the 1980s and the music accompanying the movie is great, from Gene Loves Jezebel to Everything But The Girl and Kate Bush. Bacon is hilarious and McGovern gives an understated but effective performance as the wife determined to have a baby. Alec Baldwin is brilliant as Davis McDonald, the devilish best friend of Bacon who tries to dissuade him out of marriage. There are genuinely funny moments that pepper this movie throughout and makes it really delightful. There are the "high-brow" critics who slag this movie off. Don't be influenced by their views. This is an endearing and enjoyable movie.

Kristy (Elizabeth McGovern) and Jake Briggs (Kevin Bacon) have doubts getting married. His best friend Davis McDonald (Alec Baldwin) offers to drive his getaway. Instead of a honeymoon, Kristy insists on Jake finishing his degree. The student living in New Mexico does not go well. They leave to return to Chicago. They struggle with unsatisfying jobs, and meddling in-laws. They get a house with a mortgage. He starts to write. Davis belittles his suburban married life.

Filmmaker John Hughes tries to extend his range into twenty somethings married couple. There is something missing. The comedy feels too broad. The characters feel one-dimensional. There are a couple of funny moments. It does need to decide on how serious or how ridiculous this movie is suppose to be playing at. There are many dream sequences. The neighborhood lawnmower dance is stupid and the nightclub seductress is serious. They shouldn't be in the same movie together. Bacon is a little too self-obsessed and McGovern is a little too reserved. They're fine actors but their characters are rarely in a loving tone. They start scared and it's one long struggle. This movie holds some truths but it's somehow not profound like it wants to be.

For longtime sweethearts Elizabeth McGovern and Kevin Bacon, family interference in their marriage. Or is it his too tight bicycle shorts? Fans of Bacon will marvel at his physique as he stands still exposing his gingerbread which at one point is standing near attention. It's a pretty surprising moment in this PG-rated comedy that is quirky enough in itself without having a rather risque moment, but it is quite memorable and the bacon indeed is thickly cut. McGovern, between her memorable roles as Evelyn Nesbitt in "Ragtime" and Lady Cora on TV's "Downton Abbey", is surprisingly normal without the eccentricities of those two characters. Bacon, through Whom The Narrative of the story is told, has very bizarre asides, from the wedding where he is hearing a preacher saying a bunch of very funny vows, and later when observing the neighbors mowing the lawn, if use it in a hysterically musical way.

The two characters are very likable, going through typical marital issues with interfering in-laws (particularly the persnickedy fathers),Bacon's best friend Alec Baldwin, a beautiful model Bacon keeps seeing in fantasies and the interference of his career. It takes 75 minutes for the baby portion of the plot to erupt, and that leads to a very frantic half hour. I would have liked to have seen mothers Cathryn Damon and Holland Taylor more than what they get here (as well as neighbor Edie McClurg),but even with a story that has been done over and over, the way this film is done will make you remember it. I certainly did remember the wedding sequins and the lawn mower sequence from when I first saw it in the theater, and they hold up as very funny nearly 35 years later. It's sweet and irreverent and certainly the epitome of what has crudely become known as a "chick flick", although the male point of view makes it interesting.