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The Back-up Plan

The Back-up Plan

Fall in love, get married, have a baby. Not necessarily in that order.

2010104 minPG-13Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Director
Alan Poul
Starring
Jennifer Lopez, Alex O'Loughlin, Michaela Watkins, Eric Christian Olsen

When Zoe tires of looking for Mr. Right, she decides to have a baby on her own. But on the day she's artificially inseminated, she meets Stan, who seems to be just who she's been searching for all her life. Now, Zoe has to figure out how to make her two life's dreams fit with each other.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Back-up Plan?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Back-up Plan streaming on STARZ and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Back-up Plan?

The Back-up Plan earns 5 badges, led by Feel-good and Preferred by Under-30s.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Back-up Plan worth watching?

The Back-up Plan's Midcredits score is the 26th percentile of all films, from 115K ratings across 6 sources. 33% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

26th percentile

Better received than 26% of films

28th percentile among Comedy27th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)28th
Approval (how many liked it)27th

55 /100

28th percentile of all films

30th percentile among Comedy30th percentile among 2010s

Critics 34 · Audience 56

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

33% liked it

27th percentile of all films

28th percentile among Comedy27th percentile among 2010s
33% rated it 7–1067% rated it 1–6

Critics 18% · Audience 46%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 2 noms overall

96th percentile

115K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Comedy96th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 54% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$35M
Opening weekend$12M
Domestic gross$37M
Worldwide gross$77M

Returned 2.2× its budget — 94th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree it's a formulaic romantic comedy that follows genre conventions and is aimed at a female audience.

Fans praised

  • entertaining for low expectations and a light night out
  • Jennifer Lopez's performance is charming and likable
  • romantic fantasy that's fun if you're not demanding realism

Detractors panned

  • wooden and over-the-top acting, especially from the leads
  • clichéd, predictable rom-com with zero originality
  • flat dialogue and characters with no depth or chemistry

What stands out

Emotional impactDivisive45

Fans find it heartwarming and relatable, detractors feel nothing

ActingDivisive40

Jennifer Lopez praised as charming but detractors call her wooden; supporting cast seen as stiff

HumorDivisive40

Some situational comedy lands for fans, but detractors find no laughs

CharactersDivisive35

No depth or chemistry, though some fans find the leads' journey relatable

PacingDivisive35

Some find it light and breezy, others feel it drags and is messy

Plot and storyDivisive30

Predictable and disjointed, with some interesting premise ideas underused

DialogueDivisive30

Childish, uninspired, and lacking wit

OriginalityDivisive20

Standard rom-com formula, though the single-mom premise is a slight twist

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 13 points higher than men.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 18 points higher than over-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Back-up Plan like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Romantic: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in the mood for a love story.

It is gentle, has a few laughs and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Romantic.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticJoyfulWarm
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
WarmRomantic · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its romantic comedy premise straight, aiming for warmth and charm without irony.
The rideA buoyant, romantic mood overall, with the most emotionally charged moments (birth, reconciliation, proposal) concentrated toward the end.
StructureLinear storytelling following Zoe from artificial insemination through pregnancy to relationship resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a warm, optimistic feeling about love and family, with the central couple overcoming obstacles to build a life together.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% (this title) · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Romantic comedy: Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA romantic comedy built around a woman's decision to have a baby alone and the unexpected romance that complicates her plan.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsRomantic love · 15% of filmsSelf-worth · 7% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores Zoe's desire to build a family through single motherhood, then folds in romantic love and her own sense of worth as she navigates pregnancy and partnership with Stan.
StanceThe film warmly affirms family bonds and romantic love, presenting Zoe's journey as ultimately fulfilling and worth the struggle.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRuralRealistic
PopOrchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Stephen Trask
SettingNew York City, with scenes at a pet shop, farmer's market, and a countryside farm.
MusicLight, upbeat score with pop songs that underscore the romantic and comedic beats.

Content guide

Is The Back-up Plan okay for kids?

PG-13

The Back-up Plan is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sexual content including references, some crude material and language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (13/100), sexual content at moderate (45/100), language at moderate (55/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (23/100) and frightening material at mild (23/100). Overall it is heavier than 32% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 24 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • BGB
  • DenmarkA
  • FinlandK7
  • Hungary12
  • Israelהותר לכל
  • LTN-13
  • MexicoB
  • NetherlandsAL
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • SK12
  • South Africa13
  • SpainA
  • Sweden7
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 23% of all filmsHeavier than 32% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 11%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 82%
Profanity
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 79%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 22%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 21%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 79% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Back-up Plan have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Back-up Plan?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Jennifer Lopez
as Zoe
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alex O'Loughlin
as Stan
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Michaela Watkins
as Mona
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Eric Christian Olsen
as Clive
Anthony Anderson
as Playground Dad
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Noureen DeWulf
as Daphne
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Melissa McCarthy
as Carol
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tom Bosley
as Arthur
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Maribeth Monroe
as Lori
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Danneel Ackles
as Olivia

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Back-up Plan?

Movies like The Back-up Plan include The Switch (2010), The Rebound (2009) and The Perfect Man (2005). Of the 12 closest matches, several are stories about single mothers, and most are films set in New York.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its feel: romantic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Back-up Plan?

4.7K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: whirlwind romance. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.