Home/Episodes/It's Complicated
‘It’s Complicated’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Mina Kimes
July 15, 2025 · It's Complicated (2009) · Comedy · Drama · Romance · 1:50:56 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Amanda DobbinsThe second hotel scene when Jake has the heart attack, Krasinski's in the lobby, the 'I have always liked a lot of semen' line, and their emotional moment at the end▶ 35:45
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including Jane's first dinner with friends (vagina closed up story), the bar dinner scene where they run into each other, family graduation dinner scene, and Jane telling friends about the affair▶ 31:50
Mina KimesThe dinner at the bar leading into them having sex because of the funny lines and the great chemistry between the actors▶ 35:49
Big Kahuna Burger Award
Amanda Dobbinssupports the lavender ice cream scene and gives honorable mention to the chocolate cake▶ 47:40
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Amanda DobbinsAgrees Steve Martin is weak but focuses more on recasting discussion, suggesting Sam Shepard or Tommy Lee Jones as alternatives▶ 53:25
Bill SimmonsThe kids aren't damaged enough - they're too happy for children of divorce and should be more fucked up▶ 56:21
Mina KimesSteve Martin's character - thinks the character is underwritten and lacks charisma compared to Alec Baldwin▶ 53:36
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Amanda DobbinsRoast chicken might be the most overrated food in the universe - even when it's really good, it's just fine▶ 1:04:45
Bill SimmonsSanta Barbara has the biggest disparity between movies and real life of any location - the sun doesn't come out until 1:30-2 PM despite being portrayed as always sunny in films▶ 1:07:22
Mina KimesNancy Meyers movies prove that old people should be in more stuff - need more movies of all genres where the leads are over 50 years old▶ 1:06:31
Casting What-Ifs
Amanda DobbinsMichael Douglas — Agreed Michael Douglas is 'the archetype' but would turn it into a 'horny Michael Douglas' movie with no weakness, making him wrong for the role▶ 1:12:15
Bill SimmonsMichael Douglas — Discussed reported alternatives (Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Michael Douglas, Tom Hanks) but was skeptical of most except Michael Douglas as a possibility, though worried he'd be too sexual for the role▶ 1:12:01
Mina KimesMichael Douglas — Noted Michael Douglas's age in 2009 as a potential issue but seemed generally supportive of the casting discussion▶ 1:12:28
Apex Mountain
Amanda DobbinsSomething's Gotta Give — Discussed Meryl Streep's career progression from Devil Wears Prada to Mamma Mia to Iron Lady, and agreed Nancy Meyers' apex was Something's Got to Give over The Holiday▶ 1:21:41
Bill SimmonsAlec Baldwin — No for Meryl Streep (she's just always on top of the mountain), Yes for Alec Baldwin with this movie and 30 Rock at the same time, No for Steve Martin (his apex was late 70s with The Jerk and comedy albums)▶ 1:21:19
Mina KimesMeryl Streep — Emphasized that Meryl Streep never had a dead period and has classics every decade, making it hard to pinpoint an apex. Agreed Something's Got to Give is slightly better than The Holiday▶ 1:21:51
Hanks or Cruise
Amanda DobbinsTom Hanks — Hanks - agrees it would have been good but notes there might be less tension with Hanks▶ 1:31:44
Bill SimmonsTom Hanks — Hanks - says this is a Hanks movie a thousand percent, doesn't think Cruise would work in any part of it▶ 1:31:35
Is This Movie Better With
Mina KimesAgreed that Chris Collinsworth has romantic comedy energy and would fit in the movie▶ 1:39:49
Just One Oscar
Amanda DobbinsAlec Baldwin — Alec Baldwin for Supporting Actor - 'It's a classic supporting actor fun one'▶ 1:40:20
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Amanda DobbinsWhat's in the noodle thing that they talk about and fight over at the end - possibly the pasta salad with pesto and cherry tomatoes shown earlier▶ 1:42:20
Bill SimmonsShould it be okay to have an affair with your ex-wife? Yes, if the current spouse is someone he had the original affair with, creating a connection to the first marriage▶ 1:42:36
Mina KimesIt's okay to hook up with your ex-husband if the second wife is who he left you for (green light), but not cool if he divorced and met someone else unrelated▶ 1:43:06
Best Double Feature
Mina KimesKramer vs. Kramer — Kramer vs. Kramer (warns against Something's Gotta Give as too similar)▶ 1:45:57
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsAlec Baldwin — Baldwin - 'I think Baldwin won the movie. As good as Streep, as likable as she is in it. I think he's just really great in this.'▶ 1:46:37
Mina KimesAlec Baldwin — Baldwin - agreed with Bill, noting 'Re-watching it, I was shocked by how good he is in it'▶ 1:46:54
Movies Referenced (50)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Holiday (2006) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 9:17 |
| Father of the Bride (1991) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 5:49 |
| Something's Gotta Give (2003) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Mina Kimes, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 45:38 |
| The Other Woman (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Amanda Dobbins, Mina Kimes | ▶ 1:33:01 |
| Chef (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Mina Kimes, Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 1:17:58 |
| The Island (2005) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 12:14 |
| His Girl Friday (1940) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Mina Kimes, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 1:27:28 |
| The Beach (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Mina Kimes, Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | ▶ 49:33 |
| The Intern (2015) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | ▶ 5:38 |
| American Psycho (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:01:08 |
| Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 29:59 |
| Lost in Translation (2003) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Mina Kimes | ▶ 1:00:26 |
Directors Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Brady | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Mina Kimes | The Hot Chick | ▶ 18:47 |
| Michael Bay | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Amanda Dobbins, Mina Kimes, Bill Simmons | Armageddon | ▶ 3:54 |
| Mel Gibson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | Braveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory | ▶ 8:38 |
Actors Referenced (76)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meryl Streep | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 35 | Bill Simmons, Mina Kimes, Amanda Dobbins | Out of Africa | ▶ 7:09 |
| Steve Martin | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 28 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Mina Kimes | The Jerk | ▶ 32:32 |
| John Krasinski | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 24 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Mina Kimes | A Quiet Place | ▶ 14:32 |
| Alec Baldwin | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 18 | Amanda Dobbins, Mina Kimes, Bill Simmons | The Departed, It's Complicated, Glengarry Glen Ross | ▶ 8:46 |
| Lake Bell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons, Mina Kimes | No Strings Attached | ▶ 32:02 |
| Chris Pratt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Mina Kimes, Amanda Dobbins | Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World | ▶ 1:16:08 |
| Michael Douglas | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons, Mina Kimes | Wall Street, Romancing the Stone | ▶ 1:12:01 |
| LeBron James | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Mina Kimes | ▶ 1:24:38 | |
| Sam Shepard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | Black Hawk Down | ▶ 54:15 |
| Jack Nicholson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Mina Kimes, Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | Chinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed | ▶ 4:57 |
| Tom Hanks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Mina Kimes | Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump | ▶ 1:12:01 |
| Harrison Ford | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive | ▶ 27:44 |
Writers Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nancy Meyers | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 41 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Mina Kimes | It's Complicated, Something's Gotta Give, Private Benjamin | ▶ 1:55 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 28:01 | |
| Nora Ephron | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Amanda Dobbins | Julie & Julia, When Harry Met Sally... | ▶ 1:46:13 |
| Shonda Rhimes | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 1:01:39 |