Kevin Ivers This film drew the usual raft of competing bitchy one-liner put-downs from all the critics. No surprise there, because the film is, on balance, a failure. But for many fans of Madonna - those who want to see that volcanic stage personality burst forth on screen FINALLY - this was one of the most frustrating experiences of her career. Because it's a film that could have been very good, and even started nicely enough. But the script took a rapid turn off the highway and became a lumbering, runaway truck heading into a canyon. Neither Madonna nor Rupert Everett nor director John Schlesinger could escape the wreck.I agree that the film hit the wall after Abbie learns she's pregnant. It's that the film tried to carry all sorts of leaden political baggage instead of being a FILM. Having set itself up as a send-up of contemporary L.A. life, thinking itself so hip and modern until it goes too far, there was a lot of promise for this movie. Instead of the boring, groan-inducing turn the relationship took, it could instead have been a funny take on two highly self-absorbed people bumping up against the utterly selfless task of parenting, and alternately reaching their limits. Madonna and Everett would have run away with such characters and given them all sorts of humanity and comic touches.But instead, the screenwriters reached their limit of creativity and murdered the film. I feel bad for both Everett (whose career nosedived after this film tanked) and Madonna, who had just come off a Golden Globe for "Evita" and a raft of Grammys for "Ray of Light".How could the studio have done this to them? Who are the idiots who wrote the final screenplay?There are funny, quirky moments, though. Madonna even has a few chances to poke fun at herself, and Everett has a funny turn by utterly queening out just to get even with one of her nasty exes. But those isolated moments just make "The Next Best Thing" even sadder to contemplate.

insomniac_rod Oh what the hell?... I don't care of what others think, I really enjoyed this movie back in summer 2000 when I watched it on theaters.I made a reflection today. I have spent a lot of money on actresses that I feel attracted to. In the same year, 2000, I watched many of Kirsten Dunst's movies just because I thought she was sexy.I watched "The Next Best Thing" because I was as die hard fan of Madonna's work and sexiness. To be honest, the plot isn't that bad at all and it even has some drama although it's considered as a romantic comedy.The plot is somehow related to a comedy because the situation is ridiculous but it surprisingly works for the movie. Getting pregnant with your gay best male friend and raising a child together? Yeah right.I recommend this movie ONLY for those who love Madonna and her work. Otherwise, stay away from it!

Lechuguilla Mercilessly condemned by viewers and professional critics, this comedy-drama is not very good; but I have seen films that are a lot worse. A young woman named Abbie (Madonna), who is straight, has a one-night fling with her best friend Robert (Rupert Everett), who is gay. The result is that she gets pregnant. Abbie and Robert agree to raise the child together; but complications ensue when Abbie falls in love with someone else.The first part of the film is lighthearted, and plays like a music video, with some good songs, like "Steppin' Out With My Baby". By the time we get into the second half, however, the lightheartedness has morphed into bitterness and controversy, a change in tone that is jarringly out of sync with earlier sequences.But an even bigger problem is the casting of the two leads, and the Robert character. Madonna tries hard to be a convincing Abbie; her performance isn't bad, really it isn't; she's just a little too wooden. But her celebrity persona as a musical pop star overwhelms all effort to make her seem like some average homebody. As a result, I would have preferred another actress.I did not care for Robert at all, with his exaggerated attempts at witty banter and his fluttering about, typical gay stereotyped behavior, vain and self-absorbed. Later, he becomes rigid in his ability to compromise, a character contrivance that only serves to advance the film's plot. And then Rupert Everett, with his hammy overacting, makes the already flamboyant Robert character almost unendurable. Everett's British accent in a Southern California setting is totally out of place. Almost any other actor of comparable age could have rendered a less painful performance.What makes the film bearable is some good music, including Don McClean's old song "American Pie", and a nifty performance by Malcolm Stumpf as the child, a performance that was thankfully lacking in precocious behavior so often seen in child characters.If they had reworked the script in such a way as to have a more consistent storyline, toned down the Robert character, and chosen different performers for the two lead roles, "The Next Best Thing" might have been better received. As is, the film is interesting mainly for its music, and as a textbook case of what can go wrong when script and casting mistakes are not corrected.

Cristian With a beautiful Madonna and gorgeous Rupert, "The next best thing" is just a drama. A drama with the best intentions. But with a plot that down and down until a obvious thing. So,"The next best thing" is not the "best" like they say.The story is about a girl with his best gay friend. One night, with all the drink you can imagine... the next best thing born. Sincerely, i think the plot could be better, but that don't means the story is bad. The movie talk about about the new couples and families and how is better handling the things with tranquility. Of course you can be with other person and be good parents and have, at same time, good l life and sexual life. But you must have carefully with the children. For that reason "The next best thing" is not bad. Because, in some way, makes us reflecting about the new life of XXI century. Oh Kay, maybe is not the "best thing", but after all is a "good thing".*Sorry for the mistakes... well, if there any