I consider myself a big movie buff. I pride myself on knowing what movies are coming out in the foreseeable future and their release dates. That's why I was surprised last week when I saw my first preview for "Bad Moms" a day or two it was due to hit theaters. Now, I'm not saying that this movie was poorly advertised. It somehow slipped past my personal movie radar. I was actually upset about this because the subject matter of this movie is incredibly important and actually promotes a positive message about motherhood. It's also hilarious.

I was immediately intrigued by the premise. I'm at the age where my friends are starting to get married and have children. Having those things for myself doesn't seem like it's too far away (God willing). I wanted to see what Hollywood wanted to say about being a mom in an age that heralds impossible standards for parenting, particularly motherhood. As an added bonus, I'm a huge fan of Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell.

So I went to the theater on discount day (if anyone reading this is unaware, most major theaters have one day a week, generally Tuesday, where every movie is either $6 or $8) and got my ticket for "Bad Moms."

The theater wasn't packed, but it wasn't empty which I considered to be a good sign given that it was only 5:00 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon. I sat through the previews (my favorite part of the movie) and eagerly anticipated the beginning of the main attraction.

(Spoilers below).

The movie follows Amy Mitchell (adeptly played by Mila Kunis) as she struggles with her marriage (which is all but over as the movie begins), her career (at a next generation coffee company with a boss who drastically undervalues her contribution) and her two kids. Amy is constantly running late because she has to be everything to everyone and do everything at home, at work and for her kids. Part of the opening montage includes Amy handing her son a bust of Richard Nixon that had to be three feet tall. She tells her son that she hopes he likes his history project. Amy is actually completing her son's homework for him.

You get the set-up, right? Amy is a married working mom. They do pretty well for themselves, but Amy is obviously the one who takes care of the kids and the house while her husband is off having an online affair with someone 2,000 miles away (Amy discovers this and it prompts her to kick him out—score one for Amy Mitchell).

Essentially, Amy is killing herself trying to be perfect. One of my favorite montages included Amy giving her daughter a healthy homemade salad for lunch and her son a non-peanut peanut butter sandwich. She is trying to be Super Mom and it's killing her.

Enter Gwendolyn, Super Mom Extraordinaire and President of the school's PTA. Amy's breaking point is when Gwendolyn (as a punishment for Amy being late to the meeting) appoints Amy to be on the Bake Sale Police Committee. I kid you not. Gwendolyn forms a policing committee for the Bake Sale to make sure that no harmful ingredients (including sugar, wheat and flour) are included in any of the treats. Commence eye-rolling.

Amy storms out and ends up meeting up with Carla (perfectly portrayed by Kathryn Hahn) and Kiki (Kristen Bell in her typical role). They have a bit of a drunken escapade and it seems to have knocked Amy to the other side of the extreme, as she tells her kids to figure out how to make breakfast for themselves the next morning.

Plot wise, all you need to know about the rest of the movie is that Amy challenges Gwendolyn for PTA President after Gwendolyn finds a way to kick Amy's daughter off the soccer team (this PTA clearly has too much power), there's a hot dad that Amy eventually hooks up with (she and her husband decide to divorce) and all of the moms find some much needed balance in their parenting methods.

I titled this article "the only thing you need to know about 'Bad Moms'" and there really is only one thing you need to know: this movie was clearly thought up, and written and directed by men. It's well-intentioned to be sure. But it portrays women as being in a constant battle for perfection. Gwendolyn has two sidekicks who try to be as manipulative, power hungry and perfect as Gwendolyn is. The other women we see in the background are falling over themselves to impress Gwendolyn or to be a "better" mom to their kids than the other moms.

We live in an age where we are proving Wendy Wasserstein and her idea that you can't have a great job, a good marriage and a perfect relationship with your kids wrong (for those who are unaware Wasserstein's plays make it clear that women will have to choose two out of those three and be content with whichever two they choose). The problem is that we live in a world where, because women can have it all, they are expected to do it all.

Take the lesson from the movie or leave it behind at the theater. The only thing you need to know is that you need to decide what kind of parent and what kind of person you want to be. Follow your own rules and set your own goals. Don't bow down to any kind of societal pressure that says you have to act this way or look this way or say these things if you wanted to be considered "good" or "valuable." Be you. That's the best you can do.