Every year, divorce rates continue to rise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, the marriage rate in the United States is 7.1 per 1,000. The divorce rate is 3.5 per 1,000.Although the reasons and causes may differ greatly, the level of hardship that comes with it often does not.

Oftentimes when two people divorce, it affects not only those two people but their family members and even friends as well.

The recently released film “It’s Complicated” puts a new light on divorce on a not-so-newly divorced couple. I had heard great things about the film from various people who had seen it and loved it, but I was late in joining the bandwagon in going to see this film. However, I found it to be both funny and true.

Directed by Nancy Meyers, “It’s Complicated” follows the life and story of a middle-aged woman Jane (played by Meryl Streep), who after 10 years of divorce, has learned to make a new life for herself working in a bakery and finally learned how to be single. Later on in the film, she even starts to date her contractor Adam (played by Steve Martin).

However things begin to get, well, complicated in New York when Jane is there for her son’s graduation, and finds herself at the bar with her ex, Jake (played by Alec Baldwin). Jake’s wife – the pretty, much-younger woman Jake cheated on Jane with and ended up marrying – is not able to attend the graduation in New York due to her sick son.

Jane and Jack get together in the hotel after having a little too much to drink at the bar, and when they get back home they find themselves in a continuing affair.

Jane finds herself having the time of her life while also being horribly conflicted and confused. She seeks advice from her girlfriends and even her therapist, none of whom seem to think the affair will be all that bad for her.

The film has its comic relief as Harley, played by “The Office’s” John Krasinski, finds out about the affair and awkwardly tries to keep it from his fiancée, Jane’s daughter.

The affair might not have been bad for Jane all along, but it ends up catching up with her when their secret gets out, and their kids find out and are obviously a little disturbed.

When I first heard about the movie, I didn’t think the story line of a middle-aged divorced couple having an affair with each other would be very appealing to me, however, I found myself laughing through most of the movie.

On a more serious note, I found the two people trying to make a new life for themselves post-divorce fairly endearing.

As the product of a divorced family, I’ve definitely learned that one thing divorce requires is some readjusting.

Most people don’t walk into a marriage expecting to come out in a divorce. Most people also don’t want to picture themselves middle-aged and single. In fact, it is quite scary for some.

So out of all the fear and confusion that divorce can leave, parents can sometimes become the children with their hasty judgment calls and at times irrational behavior, despite their best efforts to remain strong for the children.

Much unlike the perfect role models they try to be, parents are just human beings who make mistakes.

The end of the film does not provide all the answers for the couple, but it does leave them with the feeling that everything will be OK.

Sometimes we may find ourselves in a place we never expected to be, and all we can do is make the best out of it and try to live for the moment, one day at a time.

Author