It would make a refreshing change if once, just once, a film came along where men weren't to blame for the deterioration of every relationship. The Last Kiss does not reverse the trend.

Based on the 2001 Italian film L'Ultimo Bacio, it's the oft-told story of a group of male friends – and one sad sap particular – who can't handle the prospect of turning 30.

Chief among these responsibility-shirkers is Michael (Braff, voice of Chicken Little, face of rubber chicken), a successful architect whose girlfriend of three years, Jenna (Barrett, Bridget Jones 2), has just told her parents that she is pregnant.

Dad (Tom Wilkinson) is delighted for her; Mom (Blythe Danner) reaches straight for the bottle. Michael sees his life mapped out before him – are there to be no more surprises? As it happens, yes.

At a wedding, Michael’s pals show the stages of near-30 man. Crazy Izzy (Michael Weston) is on the verge of stalkerhood after being dumped, and henpecked new father Chris (Affleck) is at his wits' end. But at least single surf-dude Kenny (Erik Christian Olsen) is still living the free-and-single dream.

Bafflingly, Michael catches the eye of gorgeous brunette Kim (The OC's Bilson). She tells him where she studies; he plays it cagey. They go their separate ways, but we know where they’ll end up.

Giving in to temptation, Michael arranges a date with Kim. So begins the inevitable two-step between excrement and air-redistribution device.

Michael's actions are as indefensible as his excuses are lame, but the film tars every bloke with the same brush. We don’t all run a mile when commitment rears its ugly head, you know.

Wilkinson and Danner are class acts but, with emotional storms breaking everywhere, their faltering relationship is one too many.

And while everyone keeps an eye on the biological clock, those with a Y chromosome have nothing to fear from the big three-oh (other than being unable to face two big nights out in a row).

Nicely acted (especially from Barrett) and not entirely predictable, The Last Kiss is only sloppy in its stereotyping of the genders.

"I'm not worried about tomorrow," says Kim to Michael. Then tomorrow comes and she gives him the third-degree. Women.

Elliott Noble