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There's an inherent likability to "Babes," but that doesn't always translate to a good movie. Everyone involved has proven themselves to be gifted comedic performers or writers, but far too often "Babes" feels unwieldy and rough in its construction.

"Babes" marks the feature directorial debut of Pamela Adlon, creator of the very funny tv show Better Things. It's important to review and reflect on the movie seen, not what could have been. It's simply not fair to hold a movie to an invisible standard, but throughout "Babes" it's hard to not imagine what the movie would have looked like if Adlon lent her sharp and dry sense of humor to the screenplay.

The script, written by co-star Ilana Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz, offers its fair share of amusing moments but never finds a cohesive gel between a story arc and all the comedic bits sprinkled throughout. A lot of "Babes" feels improvised, with Glazer and Rabinowitz's screenplay setting up a scene and the actors taking it in their own direction. That can be effective, but it is a skill that needs to be fine-tuned for it work, and it seems lacking in "Babes."

Eden (Glazer) and Dawn (Michelle Buteau) are longtime best friends who have a tradition of seeing a movie every Thanksgiving. Dawn is about to have a baby, but they - especially Eden - refuse to let their traditions fall by the wayside. She ends up going into labor at their post-movie lunch and Eden rushes her to the hospital to meet Dawn's husband Marty (Hasan Minhaj).

After leaving the hospital, Eden meets Claude (Stephan James) and ends up bringing him back home after they bond over four New York City subway rides. In the weeks after their one-night stand Eden discovers she is pregnant, which is not something she would ever suspected herself of being ready for.

Eden and Dawn have a genuine sisterly bond and love for one another, but their paths in life have been side-by-side and completely different. Dawn got married, is having her second child and gone through life in a more "traditional" sense. Eden was always a few steps behind Dawn in growing up, not taking a wrong turn in life but an entirely different one.

"Babes" demonstrates the support of two friends, even when their views on life deviate. Dawn approaches Eden's pregnancy with concern rather than outright judgment. She finds this as an opportunity to help and guide her, even when Eden is too stubborn to think she needs such help.

While "Babes" ratchets up the absurdity to wring laughs out of any situation, those who have had children will undoubtedly find nuggets of truth within the comedic setups. If "Babes" can make you laugh in agreement or reflection, the movie has succeeded. But purely as a comedy film, the movie strains to meet some of the most basic marks.