Movie Review: Something's Gotta Give

Something's Gotta Give

This movie is being billed as an intellectual comedy in which Diane Keaton's performance truly shines. I'm here to tell you that the critics are half right. Keaton is amazing. As for calling Something's Gotta Give a comedy, well, it's my opinion that a few obvious laughs do not a funny movie make.

Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is a 63 year-old bachelor who has spent his entire adult life as a serial dater of young and really beautful women. The fact that he's over 60 has no bearing whatsoever on his notion that anyone over 30 is too old for him. The latest of his pretty datemates is Marin (Amanda Peet), who decides to take Harry to her mother's house in the Hamptons for a fun filled weekend. As it turns out, however, the house isn't empty. Marin's famous playwrite mother, Erica Barry (Diane Keaton), and her slightly crazy Aunt Zoe (Frances McDormond) have also decided to visit the Hamptons for a few days. Mom isn't thrilled with Marin's latest boyfriend, but she tries to put a good face on it and tells the two to carry on with their plans. After all, it's just for the weekend.

Harry, however, suffers a mild heart attack. After the three women call an ambulance and rush to the hospital with Harry, Dr. Julian Mercer (Keanu Reeves) tells everyone that Harry needs to spend some time resting, and that he's not to travel any further than back to Barry's house. Nobody is thrilled with the doctor's orders, but Harry and Erica resign themselves to a week or so under the same roof. Meanwhile, Marin's father, David Klein (Paul Michael Glaser) announces he's marrying a woman only a few years older than his daughter, and Erica and Zoe see once again their claims borne out: Men their age are only interested in women half their age. Well, perhaps except for the 20-years-younger Dr. Mercer who makes very clear his interest in Erica.

Who will end up with whom? Will Harry ever realize that a woman closer to his own age has much to offer him? Will Erica ever get her new play written? Once David remarries, will he still team with Erica as the director of her plays? And what about the handsome Dr. Mercer? Will he realize Marin's the pretty girl closer to this own age? Is Zoe gay, or what? And really, as relates to those very few questions with answers that aren't entirely predictable, who cares?

Something's Gotta Give is...kind of sweet. That's it. Kind of sweet. Jack Nicholson plays a character very like every other character he's played over the last decade or so, only this time he makes a little fun of himself as he does so (Jack's predilection for much younger women is legendary). Nicholson is never bad, understand, but there's nothing in this script that remotely stretches his considerable abilities, either. Keanu Reeves is adequate, but so damned cute you're inclined to let him do or say whatever he wants just so he stays onscreen a little longer. Amada Peet and Frances McDormond are both good, though McDormond gets far too little screen time. It is Keaton who shines. She's postiviely incandescent (although a certain crying scene is so far over the top that it's essentially ruined), and will probably get some award recognition for her performance, and she should. Taken as a whole, however, though well performed and nicely filmed, the script is lukewarm at best and the movie doesn't fare much better.

FAMILY SUITABILITY: Something's Gotta Give is rated PG-13 for "sexual content, brief nudity, and strong language." Although it would certainly be relatively harmless for those age 13 and up, the younger set wouldn't like this film, anyway. This is very much a movie for those women "of a certain age," and is fortunately just mildly amusing enough that the husbands they make go to the theatre with them won't hate it. Personally, if you really want to get your money's worth, I'd wait until this one comes out on video.