I Don't Know How She Does It

''I Don’t Know How She Does It'' is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Douglas McGrath and based on the 2002 novel of the same name by Allison Pearson. The film stars Sarah Jessica Parker as a working mother struggling to balance career and family life, with Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear, Christina Hendricks, and Kelsey Grammer in supporting roles.

The screenplay was written by Aline Brosh McKenna, known for her work on '' The Devil Wears Prada'' (2006). Produced by The Weinstein Company 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 took place in New York City 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, struggling to balance her demanding career with her family responsibilities. After receiving a reminder about her daughter Emily’s kindergarten 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, 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. 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 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 Rotten Tomatoes, 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 in rote Carrie-mode." Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 38 out of 100 based on 31 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews." Audiences polled by CinemaScore 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’s likability and Olivia Munn’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'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