Let's Have Kids! is a comedy about friendship, pregnancy, and the complications that arise when life refuses to follow the plans we make. Directed by Adam Sztykiel and featuring Karen Gillan and Zoë Chao, the film starts with an interesting premise that offers plenty of opportunities for both humor and emotional drama. Although it has its share of exaggerated moments, it ultimately proves to be an enjoyable comedy that benefits from its characters and dialogue.
The film is not particularly hilarious, and its humor does not always land as effectively as it could. However, it remains entertaining enough to make for a pleasant viewing experience, especially for audiences who can relate to the challenges of pregnancy or trying to conceive.
What Is Let's Have Kids! (2026) About?
In Let's Have Kids!, we follow Emma (Karen Gillan) and Phoebe (Zoë Chao), two lifelong best friends who decide to get pregnant at the same time. Their idea is simple: by going through pregnancy and motherhood together, they can support each other and share the experience of becoming parents.
Unfortunately, things do not go according to plan. When only one of them manages to conceive, their friendship is put to the test. What was supposed to be an exciting shared experience becomes a source of frustration, disappointment, and tension.
On paper, this is a solid premise for a comedy. Pregnancy and parenthood offer plenty of opportunities for awkward situations, misunderstandings, and emotional complications. At the same time, the story provides a foundation for exploring how friendships change when people find themselves at different stages of life.
Fortunately, the film understands that there is more to this story than simply making jokes about pregnancy. Although the comedy remains its main focus, the underlying situation gives the characters something meaningful to work with.
A Relatable Story Despite Its Exaggerations
One of the more enjoyable aspects of Let's Have Kids! is how recognizable its central premise can be. Anyone who is pregnant, trying to conceive, or familiar with the uncertainty surrounding the process may find something to relate to here.
Of course, the film occasionally exaggerates its situations for comedic effect. Certain developments feel more convenient or dramatic than they would in real life, and the story does not always handle its subject matter with the subtlety it could have used.
Nevertheless, these exaggerations do not prevent the film from being enjoyable. Beneath the comedic situations lies a recognizable understanding of how difficult it can be when reality does not match your expectations.
The film also touches on the complicated emotions that can arise when someone close to you experiences something you desperately want for yourself. Happiness for another person and disappointment about your own circumstances are not necessarily mutually exclusive feelings, and the story occasionally finds humor and emotional value in that contradiction.
It is this combination of recognizable experiences and exaggerated comedy that gives Let's Have Kids! much of its appeal.
The Humor Relies More on Characters and Dialogue Than Situations
The biggest limitation of Let's Have Kids! is its comedy. Despite having a premise that could easily lend itself to outrageous situations, the film relies primarily on its characters and their dialogue to generate humor.
Rather than constantly building toward elaborate comedic set pieces, the film often finds its laughs in conversations, personality clashes, and the way its characters respond to the circumstances around them.
This approach works reasonably well, but it also means that the film rarely becomes genuinely hilarious. Some exchanges are amusing, while others are less effective than intended. There are moments when the dialogue produces a smile rather than a proper laugh, and the film occasionally struggles to make the most of the situations it creates.
Still, the humor is generally entertaining enough to keep things moving. The characters are likable, and their interactions provide a consistent source of amusement, even when the jokes themselves are not particularly memorable.
Ultimately, Let's Have Kids! is more successful as an entertaining character-driven comedy than as a film that delivers one big laugh after another.
Karen Gillan and Zoë Chao Keep the Film Engaging
The performances are an important reason why the film remains watchable. Karen Gillan and Zoë Chao have a natural dynamic that helps sell the longstanding friendship between Emma and Phoebe.
Gillan brings an appealing combination of humor and emotional vulnerability to her role, while Chao provides a complementary presence. Their interactions help make the friendship feel believable, even when the story pushes its characters into exaggerated situations.
The supporting cast, which includes Sam Richardson, Max Greenfield, KJ Apa, and Mary Steenburgen, also helps fill out the film's world. While the supporting characters do not always get enough material to make a particularly strong impression, they contribute to the generally lighthearted atmosphere.
The film does not require extraordinary performances to succeed, but it does need its central relationship to feel convincing. Fortunately, Gillan and Chao provide enough chemistry to keep the audience invested in what happens to their characters.
A Familiar Comedy That Does Enough to Entertain
There is nothing particularly groundbreaking about Let's Have Kids!. Its premise is straightforward, its narrative follows familiar comedic territory, and its emotional developments are not always as effective as they could be.
The film also misses opportunities to push its humor further. Given the subject matter, there are several directions it could have taken to create more memorable comedic moments. Instead, it generally settles for a lighter approach that produces occasional laughs without leaving a particularly strong impression.
That said, not every comedy needs to reinvent the genre. Sometimes, a likable cast, an accessible story, and a handful of amusing exchanges are enough to make a film worth watching.
That is largely the case here. Let's Have Kids! may not be especially memorable, but it is pleasant enough to watch, and its recognizable themes give it a little more substance than a comedy built entirely around exaggerated pregnancy-related situations.
Conclusion: Let's Have Kids! Is Enjoyable, Even If It Is Not Particularly Funny
Ultimately, Let's Have Kids! is a perfectly enjoyable comedy that does enough to justify a watch, even if it never quite reaches its full potential.
The premise is relatable, particularly for people who are pregnant or trying to conceive, and the film benefits from the chemistry between Karen Gillan and Zoë Chao. Its exaggerated elements occasionally undermine the story, while its reliance on character interactions and dialogue prevents the humor from becoming consistently hilarious.
Nevertheless, the film remains entertaining throughout much of its runtime. There are enough amusing exchanges and recognizable situations to make it an agreeable viewing experience, even if relatively few moments are likely to stick with you afterward.
Let's Have Kids! is therefore neither a particularly outstanding comedy nor a disappointment. It is simply a likable film that offers some entertainment, a few recognizable observations about life and friendship, and enough humor to make the experience worthwhile.
Rating: 6/10
