Something’s Gotta Give

Something?s Gotta Give
Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton
Keanu Reeves
Directed by Nancy Meyers
Sony Pictures 2003
128 minutes

Something’s Gotta Give is a wonderful comedic romp through mid-life crisis, growing older, relationship issues and finding love. This comedy is humorous and fantastic star power (Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves) that is not merely window dressing.

Something’s Gotta Give stars Jack Nicholson who plays Harry Sandborn with his trademark sunglasses, impish grin, and gravelly, seductive voice. Harry Sandborn is a never married sixty-something music mogul and a ladies man who has been dating younger women for over forty years (talk about typecasting!) His sarcastic edge mixed with a smart, sexy and charming personality makes him crusty yet endearing.

Diane Keaton is delightful as divorced and exuberant playwright Erica Berry, the kind of person women would love to have as a best friend. Honest, supportive, and with her own brand of sweet quirkiness, she is truly a woman to love.

In Something’s Gotta Give Harry is dating Erica’s daughter, played by the somewhat peripheral and highly incompatible Amanda Peet. She is cute, wholesome and energetic, while Nicholson is so much older that he is often mistaken not only for her father but also for her grandfather.

The compatibility factor is low. The chasm between their ages is far too great, so the couple doesn’t work and something’s gotta give. Perhaps fortunately, their first and only attempt at sex leads to a huge awakening when Harry has a heart attack and is rushed to the emergency room. Enter Keanu Reeves who plays infinitely attractive, kind, romantic Julian Mercer, the original Dr. McDreamy and Harry’s treating physician. Already an admirer of Erica’s work he becomes enamored by her beauty and heart. Believing their age gap to be irrelevant, he wastes no time pursuing her and declaring his romantic intentions.

When Harry is discharged from hospital but unable to travel, he is forced to recuperate at the beach house where the reluctant Erica is writing her next play. Their defenses soon crumble and they develop mutual understanding, respect, and closeness. Erica finds herself torn between a cohort with a reputation as a womanizer and a young handsome doctor who is clearly smitten. Unexpected twists show us that anything can happen and all is fair in love.

Something’s Gotta Give is an honest, touching, and refreshing commentary on the complicated world of dating and middle age. It is easily engaging and definitely fun. Well-written and intelligent, this relationship comedy also contains wonderful background music which is often amusing in itself.

Something’s Gotta Give is certainly worth getting.

Related Posts