Something's Gotta Give

Something's Gotta Give is a much more complex film than the trailers let on. In fact, the trailers, for a change, show very little of the various obstacles the characters in the film face and the obstacles are mostly internal insecurities that the two main characters face.

First, I'd like to say what a joy it is too see Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson together on screen as romantic partners. The chemistry between the two is wonderful and the romance is played nice and slowly...you really feel like you belive the characters love each other rather than being forced together like some other romantic comdedies I've seen lately.

The film begins with Harry Langer (Jack Nicholson) and Marin Barry (Amanda Peet) arriving at Marin's mother's Hampton beach house, with plans for a romantic weekend getaway. These plans are interuppted with the arrival of Marin's mother, Erica (Diane Keaton) and Erica's sister, Zoe (Frances McDormand). Erica is clearly stunned to find out her daughter is dating a man who is old enough to be her father.

Things become complicated when Harry suffers a heart attack and has to be taken to the hospital. There, we meet Julian (Keanu Reeves), Harry's physician who instantly takes a shine to Erica and Erica seems to appreciate being noticed by a younger man. Things begin to heat up when Erica finds herself torn between Julian and Harry and tries to figure out who is best for her.

At the same time, Harry is starting to re-evaluate his past antics and history of always dating younger women. His journey is slower to realize what he needs to change about himself, but I think it pays off all the better.

The romance of the film really, truely rings true to me and is sold by these two wonderful actors who really play off one another wonderfully. In fact, for stretches of the film, it's just Jack and Diane alone in a beach house, and it's wonderful watching as the two of them slowly fall for one another.

I'm also going to come to the defense of Keanu Reeves here, who has been long maligned as the ding-bat Ted from Bill and Ted, but he really turns in a nice performance here as a sincere, kind doctor and is miles away from the ass-kicking Neo of the Matrix Trilogy

My one complaint...Frances McDormand, who makes Zoe a truely dymanic and interesting character, is missing from large chunks of the film. This is a bit dissapointing, since she was such a lively and wonderful character and I wish she had more screen time.

That aside, I found Something's Gotta Give an intelligent, funny, and satisfying romantic comedy.

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