It’s difficult to ascertain why film companies make films with babies in them, after all; who are they aimed at exactly? They don’t make for very good first date films; would you really take someone you intend to get jiggy with to see a flick with infants showing off their double P abilities – peeing and pooing? Big no-no. And what about those couples who intend to have kids one day? Not always a great advert for parenthood. Finally those who have already endured the horrors of bringing up baby? They really don’t want to be reminded, they have the scars after all.

Regardless of who is watching them, someone must be, otherwise they wouldn’t keep making the damn things. This latest entry then, does very little in breaking the mould as far as the story is concerned, but it does hold one or two surprises in its soggy nappy.

Some people in life just don’t get on. Fact. But despite Holly (Katherine Heigl) and Eric (Josh Duhamel) being set up on a date by their friends, it doesn’t take them long to realise that they aren’t exactly compatible. Still, they endure each other’s company for the sake of their friends and their cute baby Sophie, who they also the godparents of.

When their friends get involved in a horrific fatal accident, the pair find themselves literally holding the baby; the couple had requested in their wills that if anything was to happen to them, they would like Holly and Eric to raise their child between them.

Before you can say nappy rash, Holly and Eric find themselves living in their dead friends’ house and playing at happy families with Sophie. But can two very different people really live under the same roof and raise a child together?

There’s definitely a TV theme running through this film. Not only did Heigl make the jump from TV (Grey’s Anatomy) to film, but so has her co-star Duhamel, who starred in the TV series Las Vegas alongside James Caan. On top of that, director Greg Berlanti has been writing TV shows for several years now (including Brothers & Sisters and Eli Stone), and has even recently created his own with the superhero themed No Ordinary Family. Although Heigl has already proved she fits rather nicely onto the big screen, Duhamel and Berlanti prove that they’re also ready to be supersized.

Perhaps the biggest draw with this film is in having two disgustingly attractive leads. Heigl certainly shines brighter next to her co-star here than she did with Gerard Butler in the crass The Ugly Truth. She’s definitely got the whole girl-next-door thing nailed; whether she can play any other role is another matter however.

Duhamel also appears to be a natural for the handsome heel character. If anyone deserves to be the next big thing, it’s him.

And the child used in the film (actually triplet sisters) manages to gurgle, frown, puke etc with incredible authenticity. It’s just a shame, and perhaps a missed opportunity, that Stewie from Family Guy hasn’t been snapped up for this type of film. And no, Look Who’s Talking most certainly doesn’t count.

Instead of relying on two pretty actors to smoulder on screen for two hours, the film has a surprising amount of snappy dialogue. It’s not only reserved for its two stars, but is also shared around amongst supporting members of the cast, most notably their neighbours and their caseworker from Child Protective Services.

It also doesn’t wholly rely on the usual baby clichés, but if you’re the broody type, then expect to feel even broodier.

The fact is, if Heigl and Duhamel simply made a run-of-the-mill rom-com, chances are it would have been a better film than this. Having said that, Life as We Know It is far more entertaining than the average ‘we’re bringing up baby’ film. Not only are its two leads easy on the eye, but the sharp humour throughout makes this a fun babysitting experience.