Fresh off the rousing success of last year’s Bridesmaids, four members of that cast rejoin for Jennifer Westfeldt’s indie comedy Friends with Kids, an anemic little film that hits in stops and spurts but ultimately feels like nothing more than a feature-length sitcom.

Westfeldt, who also co-wrote and starred in 2001’s enchanting Kissing Jessica Stein, adds director to her resume and joins her cast of Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Jon Hamm, and Chris O’Dowd for what will likely draw considerable attention from those looking for the offspring of Bridesmaids. Most will be disappointed however, as Friends with Kids is way too tame for that crowd (despite its R rating) and certainly won’t find a niche with real-life friends with kids who can be spotted in the next house over and taking in some Dr. Seuss with kids in tow.

Also joining the star-studded cast is Parks and Recreation’s Adam Scott as Jason, fellow Manhattanite and BFF to Julie (Westfeldt). Both now in their 30s, and neither having found a permanent relationship, they concoct a plan to foil the pitfalls of new parenthood that have plagued best-friend couples Leslie and Alex (Rudolph and O’Dowd) and Ben and Missy (Hamm and Wiig).  Wondering what has happened to their once fun-loving friends now waist-deep in parenting duties, Jason and Julie begin pondering whether couples can maintain true romance in life – AND also have children.  Jason offhandedly suggests a way to beat the system -- have a child together but live apart and split the parenting duties equally. Each will be 100% committed half the time. If he’s right, raising a child will be only half as difficult, and there will still be time for each to pursue romantic interests.

Yes, it’s a fairly flimsy hook, and one that gets milked way past its prime with very little payoff. As Julie and Jason have their little Joe and are the most competent, functional, loving pair of unmarried parents one could hope for, their blissful setting draws the interest and ultimately the ire of harried mom Leslie who hopes the scheme implodes. Loveable oaf and slacker husband Alex, who doesn’t completely grasp the idea of parenthood anyway, loves the idea of occasionally being able to pass off the kid to baby-mama to pursue love interests on the side. He’s envious of the two-timing situation Jason has carved out for himself.

Along the way Jason & Julie each have their temporary flings: he with young Broadway dancer Mary Jane (Megan Fox), someone we’re supposed to hate because she openly voices a dislike of kids;  and she with recently divorced father Kurt (Ed Burns), who we’re supposed to hate because he’s just so darn nice and perfect.

But anyone who’s ever watched a romantic comedy knows where all this is headed, and Westfeldt fails to keep us on our toes with anything clever, brilliant, or unexpected. The TV-seasoned cast makes for interesting enough table conversation, but despite a running stretched vagina joke, there’s never anything outrageously funny, deep or edgy about the proceedings. Wiig is wasted in her more serious role with very little screen time -- as is most of the rest of the ensemble cast. In fact, the entire situation seems mostly wasted in a comedy that’s rarely funny and shockingly formulaic.

While the framework for a brilliant comedy is in place here, nothing funny ever gets said, and no one comes off as a genuine person with real-life problems. A New Year’s Eve dinner sequence comes the closest to anything we can call real, but even then it’s mostly just a downer with nothing that follows to lighten the emotional load. No wonder Friends with Kids ends up as an unfunny comedy.

(Released by Roadside Attractions and rated “R” for sexual content and language.)

Review also posted at www.franksreelreviews.com.