Love. Marriage. Kids. Dating. Parenthood. Single parenthood. Each of these subjects can and has been the subject of innumerable stories and movies. In Friends With Kids they are all part of the story and, aided by a gifted ensemble cast, add up to a satisfying movie with lots of truths and a measure of laughter.

Writer-director Jennifer Westfeldt is Julie. She and her best friend Jason (Adam Scott) each want a child but haven’t met the right person. They watch what happens when their friends, Leslie (Maya Rudolph) and Alex (Chris O’Dowd) and Missy (Kristen Wiig) and Ben (Jon Hamm) marry and have kids. It’s not pretty, especially when seen by eyes that have never had children. To those of us who have, it’s nod-your-head at the truths shown on the screen and smile because you’ve made it through.

So, Julie and Jason decide to have a child together and to continue dating others. All is well until Julie meets Kurt (Edward Burns) and Jason begins dating Broadway dancer Mary Jane (Megan Fox).

Of course, like all films of this genre, we know what’s going to happen by the end, but the cast is so good — funny, charming and honest — that it’s a joy getting to that point.

The fact the movie is so good is due to Jennifer Westfeldt’s deft hand with the script and with her ensemble. Hopefully, she has many more films in store for us.

Many in the cast were seen in Bridesmaids but the ensemble is so strong that they could probably play in a multitude of films as an ensemble and still be enjoyable.

Westfeldt, who co-wrote and starred in the 2001 winner Kissing Jessica Stein, is very skilled at what she does. Friends With Kids is one rom-com that men, as well as women, will likely enjoy.