Maggie's Plan

Playing out like old-school Woody Allen, writer/director Rebecca Miller's screwball comedy is a consistently engaging diversion and stars a winning Greta Gerwig as yet another cosmopolitan kook. She plays the titular insecure sophisticate who plans to have a baby whether she finds Mr Right or not. After settling on a pickle-selling sperm donor (Travis Fimmel), she then clicks with a married novelist (Ethan Hawke). But three years later, and with a daughter, the mismatched couple's relationship is floundering. So she decides to get the novelist to fall back in love with his estranged ex-wife (Julianne Moore). It's exuberantly performed by the first rate cast (Moore is hilarious as a heavily accented pretentious intellectual), and Miller (daughter of playwright Arthur) moves the confident farcical elements along with a light touch and witty aplomb. Gerwig's offbeat charm effortlessly navigates the dovetailing themes of destiny and best intentions in a comedy full of funny one-liners and sharp observation.