What to Expect When You're Expecting

In the mercifully small genre of Hollywood movies adapted from self-help books, “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” ranks roughly in the top third, above “He’s Just Not That Into You” and “Think Like a Man,” below “Mean Girls,” and way below the seminal (sorry) “Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid To Ask.” The movie’s a canned studio confection — one of those ensemble comedy-dramas with multiple plots and predictable dilemmas, and it’s closer to a greeting card like “Valentine’s Day” than anything else. But the writing is sharp and the performances bright, and if you’ve been through the forced gestational march known as pregnancy, there are knowing laughs to be had. If you haven’t, do yourself a favor and stay away.