"‘Something’ in the
Way They Move"
by Scott Mantz

"Something’s Gotta Give"
Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton
Directed by Nancy Meyers

Still looking for Mr. Goodbar! Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton loosen up in "Something's Gotta Give"

I don’t know about you, but I’d pay good money to see Jack Nicholson do just about anything (performance-wise, that is!). I mean, ya gotta love a 3-time Oscar-winner who can make even the hardest acting jobs look all too easy (heck, the guy can probably read from a parking ticket and make it sound like a sonnet).

To that extent, watching him breeze his way through his latest movie, the romantic comedy "Something’s Gotta Give," is alone worth the price of admission. Adding a little bang to that buck is Diane Keaton, who gives a pitch-perfect performance as his uptight partner in crime. There’s no doubt that the longtime acting vets have irresistible chemistry together, but the film clearly loses its bite about halfway through, making the end result something of an entertaining disappointment.

Sixty-three-year-old Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is a perennial bachelor who loves to date women under the age of 30 (and God bless him for it, baby!). When he and Marin (Amanda Peet), his latest girlfriend-du-jour, escape to her mother’s beach house for a romantic getaway, Harry suffers a mild heart attack. Marin’s divorced mother Erica (Diane Keaton) is forced to nurse him back to health, but during his stay, they unexpectedly fall in love. As if this triangle wasn’t strange enough, things get downright square when Julian (Keanu Reeves), Harry’s charming young doctor, develops his own feelings for Erica. Now Erica must choose between an older man who’s…well, "as good as it gets" or a younger man who just may be "the one."

On the surface, "Something’s Gotta Give" looks like an unofficial sequel to "As Good as it Gets," the excellent, well-written, superbly acted and touching 1997 film that won Nicholson his 3rd Oscar (making him the most honored male performer in Academy Awards history). It probably would have been just as good too if it had the same director, James L. Brooks, but in the hands of Nancy Meyers ("What Women Want"), one can’t help but get the feeling that it should have been better.

There’s no question that as a writer, Meyers has a flair for sharp, witty dialogue, but as a director, she has a problem staying focused. After a rock-solid first hour, you can literally feel the film lose its grip, drag on for about 30 minutes too long and conclude with one of the oldest tricks in the romantic comedy textbook. In addition, while having a perennial bachelor like Nicholson play a perennial bachelor like Harry Sanborn may seem like inspired casting, the concept of having Keaton’s character use her experiences to finish writing her play is about as cliched as it gets.

That brings us back to the acting, which ends up being the movie’s saving grace. After holding back for last year’s "About Schmidt" and letting loose for this year’s "Anger Management," Nicholson goes right down the middle with a cool, confident and easygoing performance (that is to say, he plays himself). Diane Keaton has never been better – or at least, not for a really long time – and it’s quite obvious that she and Nicholson feel incredibly comfortable together.

Jack and Diane are complimented by strong supporting performances, starting with "Matrix" man Keanu Reeves in a light role as the charming doctor who rounds out the bizarre love triangle. The ever-sexy Amanda Peet holds her own against Nicholson as Keaton’s daughter, while Frances McDormand makes her mark with a few zingers as Keaton’s sister. The only question mark here is Jon Favreau, who comes and goes as Nicholson’s doting assistant, and it almost feels like many of his scenes were left on the cutting room floor.

With all the Hobbits, Samurai and Civil War soldiers running around movie theaters this holiday season, you pretty much can’t go wrong with something as good-natured, undemanding and easygoing as "Something’s Gotta Give." Sure, it may get to the point where you start asking yourself, "when’s this movie gonna end," but by the time the house lights come up, you’ll realize that you had a smile on your face the entire time. And who knows…maybe that really is as good as it gets.

Back to Scott's New Movie Reviews

Review Archives