I saw first saw Something's Gotta Give, the new film by Nancy Meyes and starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton, a month ago. I wasn't sure whether I liked it, or though it was so-so, or even thought it was a drop off from the work I've seen Nicholson do lately (The Pledge and About Schmidt are wonderful works for the legend). I saw it again tonight and I think I feel slightly different about it now. It's not a bad movie, but I wouldn't watch it in a theater again, and I might flip around when it comes on TV to see the good scenes. It's the kind of romantic comedy that suffers from a couple of downers, and yet there is a charm to it that should appeal to fans of the actors, and to older audiences (as I suspected over half of the audience was over the age of 50).
The good that's in the movie is that it's a sort of standard Hollywood-style story that doesn't go into rotten territory like other romantic comedies do. Nicholson plays a version of himself (a version of the truth?) as Harry, a record company executive who's dating a woman half his age (Amanda Peet). While staying at her mother's house at the Hamptons he meets both her playwright mother Erica (Keaton) and teacher aunt (Frances McDormand). Then, he gets hit with a heart attack, and is told by the doctor (Keanu Reeves) to stick around as to not get overly tensed by what he's struck down with. Then the sparks being to come up between Harry and Erica when they're left to themselves while Harry recovers.
The things that make the film work are that Nicholson and Keaton have a nice connection to each other, like one of those old Hollywood star-couples in the old-time Hollywood movies. I could've imagined the Harry role played by someone else, and maybe for Keaton too, but the way it turned out it's about right as a stars' vehicle. And there are plenty of laughs that come up involving Nicholson after the heart attack (the biggest for me came minutes after his first heart attack, when he tries to walk around), and with consistent sexual puns and wit. What didn't work for me was the Hollywood-style romanticism and direction the sob parts of the story and characters went to that were much, much better under the control of someone like James L. Brooks in the classic As Good As It Gets. In that film Nicholson played a version of himself, too, but that character and story had an edge to it all that could make it totally re-watchable for women as well as men.
As for Keaton, she holds her own quite well next to her counter-part, and she looks terrific, though for some reason seeing what the script required her to do in a role like this makes me really want to see her in a Woody Allen flick again. The acting by Reeves was another glaring flaw, reminding me that he's much better off in Matrix and action-film land than here- every time he had a romantic moment I cringed in my seat. There were also supporting roles by Peet and McDormand that were under-used.
Still, I do sorta, kinda recommend Something's Gotta Give- it has humor that isn't too raunchy (unless you get offended by heart-attack and viagra jokes), and as a chick flick it does fine. In some ways it could've been better, and in other ways there was no way it could've tried for better ground, and there were some touches that made it tolerable and watchable. (strong) C+
The good that's in the movie is that it's a sort of standard Hollywood-style story that doesn't go into rotten territory like other romantic comedies do. Nicholson plays a version of himself (a version of the truth?) as Harry, a record company executive who's dating a woman half his age (Amanda Peet). While staying at her mother's house at the Hamptons he meets both her playwright mother Erica (Keaton) and teacher aunt (Frances McDormand). Then, he gets hit with a heart attack, and is told by the doctor (Keanu Reeves) to stick around as to not get overly tensed by what he's struck down with. Then the sparks being to come up between Harry and Erica when they're left to themselves while Harry recovers.
The things that make the film work are that Nicholson and Keaton have a nice connection to each other, like one of those old Hollywood star-couples in the old-time Hollywood movies. I could've imagined the Harry role played by someone else, and maybe for Keaton too, but the way it turned out it's about right as a stars' vehicle. And there are plenty of laughs that come up involving Nicholson after the heart attack (the biggest for me came minutes after his first heart attack, when he tries to walk around), and with consistent sexual puns and wit. What didn't work for me was the Hollywood-style romanticism and direction the sob parts of the story and characters went to that were much, much better under the control of someone like James L. Brooks in the classic As Good As It Gets. In that film Nicholson played a version of himself, too, but that character and story had an edge to it all that could make it totally re-watchable for women as well as men.
As for Keaton, she holds her own quite well next to her counter-part, and she looks terrific, though for some reason seeing what the script required her to do in a role like this makes me really want to see her in a Woody Allen flick again. The acting by Reeves was another glaring flaw, reminding me that he's much better off in Matrix and action-film land than here- every time he had a romantic moment I cringed in my seat. There were also supporting roles by Peet and McDormand that were under-used.
Still, I do sorta, kinda recommend Something's Gotta Give- it has humor that isn't too raunchy (unless you get offended by heart-attack and viagra jokes), and as a chick flick it does fine. In some ways it could've been better, and in other ways there was no way it could've tried for better ground, and there were some touches that made it tolerable and watchable. (strong) C+