''I Don’t Know How She Does It'' is a 2011 American
comedy film
The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...
directed by
Douglas McGrath
Douglas Geoffrey McGrath (February 12, 1958 – November 3, 2022) was an American screenwriter, film director, and actor. He received various accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Tony Award, and Primetime Emmy Awa ...
and based on the 2002 novel of the same name by
Allison Pearson. The film stars
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American actress and television producer. In a career spanning over five decades, she has performed across several productions of both Sarah Jessica Parker filmography, screen and stage. List o ...
as a working mother struggling to balance career and family life, with
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan (born 16 May 1953) is an Irish actor and film producer. He was the fifth actor to play the fictional secret agent Portrayal of James Bond in film, James Bond in the List of James Bond films, James Bond film series, starri ...
,
Greg Kinnear
Gregory Buck Kinnear (born June 17, 1963) is an American actor and former talk show host. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in '' As Good as It Gets'' (1997).
Kinnear has appeared in many popular films, ...
,
Christina Hendricks, and
Kelsey Grammer
Allen Kelsey Grammer (born February 21, 1955) is an American actor and producer. He gained fame for his role as the psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1984–1993) and its spin-off ''Frasier'' (1993–2004, and again F ...
in supporting roles.
The screenplay was written by
Aline Brosh McKenna
Aline Brosh McKenna (born August 2, 1967) is an American filmmaker. Her credits include writing '' The Devil Wears Prada'' (2006), ''27 Dresses'' (2008), ''Morning Glory'' (2010), '' We Bought a Zoo'' (2011) and co-creating The CW's '' Crazy Ex ...
, known for her work on ''
The Devil Wears Prada'' (2006). Produced by
The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company, LLC (usually credited or abbreviated as TWC) was an American independent film production and distribution company, which was founded in New York City by Bob and Harvey Weinstein on March 10, 2005. TWC was one of the larg ...
and distributed by The Weinstein Company and RADiUS-TWC, the film was conceived as a contemporary look at modern womanhood and work-life balance in the post-recession corporate world.
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
took place in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
in early 2011, with an emphasis on portraying urban professional environments and domestic life with comedic undertones.
The film premiered in New York and was released theatrically in the United States on September 16, 2011. It emerged both as a critical and commercial failure, receiving negative reviews for its formulaic plot and underdeveloped characters. ''I Don’t Know How She Does It'' grossed just $30 million worldwide against an estimated production budget of $24 million, failing to recoup marketing and distribution costs.
Plot
Kate Reddy is a
financial analyst
A financial analyst is a professional undertaking financial analysis for external or internal clients as a core feature of the job.
[Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...](_bla ...<br></span></div> and working mother in <div class=)
, struggling to balance her demanding career with her family responsibilities. After receiving a reminder about her daughter Emily’s
kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
bake sale, Kate hastily buys a store-bought pie, which becomes symbolic of her daily compromises. At home, she juggles her roles as a wife to Richard, a supportive
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
, and mother to Emily and toddler Ben, often at the cost of her own rest and well-being.
At work, Kate is assigned a new investment project in collaboration with Jack Abelhammer, a senior executive based in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. As Kate begins commuting between Boston and New York, the pressures of her professional and personal life intensify. Her friend and colleague Allison, a single mother, offers support, while Kate endures judgment from
stay-at-home mothers Wendy and Janine—dubbed “the Momsters.”
Kate faces disapproval from her mother-in-law, Marla, who criticizes her for not being more present at home. Meanwhile, Momo, Kate’s ambitious assistant, expresses disdain for Kate’s work-life choices but later reveals she is unexpectedly pregnant. Jack, who is widowed, begins to develop feelings for Kate during their professional interactions, though she remains committed to her family.
While traveling for work, Kate takes a brief vacation to Atlanta with her family, choosing to disconnect from her phone and focus on being present. Upon returning, she successfully pitches the investment proposal with Jack. However, she misses several calls from Richard about a household emergency—Ben has fallen and suffered a head injury. Kate rushes to the hospital, where tensions flare between her and Richard.
The next morning, Kate recommits to spending more time with her family. Jack later confesses his romantic interest, but Kate gently declines, affirming her love for Richard. She hurries to Emily’s kindergarten, where she reunites with Richard and reaffirms their partnership. Months later, Momo gives birth to a son, and Kate continues to navigate her life with renewed purpose and balance.
Cast
Release
''I Don’t Know How She Does It'' was released theatrically in North America on September 16, 2011.
Box office
''I Don't Know How She Does It'' opened at #6 on its opening weekend with $4,402,201. It earned $9,662,284 in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
as well as $20,889,211 internationally for a worldwide total of $30,551,495.
Reception
''I Don’t Know How She Does It'' received generally negative reviews from critics, many of whom criticized its outdated gender politics, formulaic execution, and underuse of its cast. On the
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, it holds an approval rating of 17% based on 113 reviews, with an average rating of 3.99/10. The website's consensus reads, "A limp comedy with a hopelessly outdated viewpoint on gender, featuring
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American actress and television producer. In a career spanning over five decades, she has performed across several productions of both Sarah Jessica Parker filmography, screen and stage. List o ...
in rote
Carrie-mode."
Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
assigned the film a weighted average score of 38 out of 100 based on 31 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews." Audiences polled by
CinemaScore
CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data.
Background
Ed Mintz, who ...
gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.
Stephen Holden of
''The New York Times'' described the film as “a blur of haphazard vignettes,” writing that while Parker brings energy to the role, the film fails to explore its central dilemma with nuance or originality.
''Slant Magazine'' called the film “disposable” and “superficial,” arguing that its portrait of modern working motherhood felt “inauthentic and contrived.”
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian">''The Guardian'' awarded the film one out of five stars, describing it as “an excruciating comedy” and criticizing it for falling back on outdated stereotypes about women in the workforce. Justin Chang of ''Variety (magazine), Variety'' was similarly unimpressed, writing that the film “offers bland empowerment clichés instead of real insight,” though he noted
Greg Kinnear
Gregory Buck Kinnear (born June 17, 1963) is an American actor and former talk show host. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in '' As Good as It Gets'' (1997).
Kinnear has appeared in many popular films, ...
’s likability and
Olivia Munn
Lisa Olivia Munn (born July 3, 1980) is an American actress. After an internship at a news station in Tulsa, she moved to Los Angeles where she began her professional career as a television host for the gaming network G4, and on the series '' ...
’s sharp performance as minor highlights.
''
Time Out'' criticized the film’s uneven tone and lack of wit, writing that it "feels dated from the start" and does little to challenge or reframe the conventional tropes of career-vs-family narratives.
IGN
''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
's review noted that the film "squanders a promising cast" and plays more like "a sitcom pilot stretched thin over 90 minutes."
Claudia Puig of the
''San Francisco Chronicle'' remarked that “the film’s heroine is relatable, but her story isn’t,” summarizing the experience as a polished but hollow portrayal of modern womanhood that “leans too heavily on voiceover and cliché.”
''Common Sense Media'' offered a more measured assessment, praising the film’s themes of perseverance and responsibility but cautioning that its message was undermined by a lack of emotional depth and realism.
Accolades
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:I Don't Know How She Does It
2011 comedy films
2010s English-language films
2010s feminist films
American feminist comedy films
Films about families
Films about parenting
Films based on British novels
Films directed by Douglas McGrath
Films scored by Aaron Zigman
Films set in Boston
Films set in Cleveland
Films set in New York City
Films shot in Boston
Films shot in New York City
Films with screenplays by Aline Brosh McKenna
The Weinstein Company films
2010s American films
English-language comedy films