Something's Gotta Give (2003)

Director:

Nancy Meyers

Writer (WGA):

Nancy Meyers (written by)

Release Date:

12 December 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

A swinger on the cusp of being a senior citizen with a taste for young women falls in love with an accomplished woman closer to his age.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Heart Attack | Love | Play | Age Difference

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 8 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Dec. 6	10:30 AM	TBS
Mon. Dec. 7	12:00 AM	TBS

Cast

Jack Nicholson	...	Harry Sanborn
Diane Keaton	...	Erica Barry
Keanu Reeves	...	Julian Mercer
Frances McDormand	...	Zoe
Amanda Peet	...	Marin
Jon Favreau	...	Leo
Paul Michael Glaser	...	Dave
Rachel Ticotin	...	Dr. Martinez
Paige Butcher	...	Beauty
Tanya Sweet	...	Beauty
Kristine Szabo	...	Beauty
Daniella Van Graas	...	Beauty
Tamara Spoelder	...	Beauty
Sonja Francis	...	Beauty
Vanessa Haydon	...	Beauty

Also Known As:

Untitled Nancy Meyers Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, brief nudity and strong language.

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Japan:PG-12 | Australia:M | Iceland:L | Finland:K-3 | South Korea:15 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (original rating) (cut) | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Germany:o.Al. | Norway:7 | Philippines:R-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The title of the movie is from a 1954 song written by Johnny Mercer. As a tribute, Keanu Reeves' character is named Julian Mercer.

Goofs:

Continuity: When she finishes her writing, Erica sets down the glasses she has, and in the next shot they are turned over.

Quotes:

Harry Sanborn: Some people consider rap poetry.
Erica Barry: C'mon, how many words can you rhyme with bitch?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "I exafanisi: (#1.15)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Butterfly

Kids! Love nicely!

Romance among the AARP set in a movie is never an easy proposition, pardon the pun. The participants have to be sexy enough that the younger people in the audience don't get all grossed out ("Gramma and Granpa are KISSING!!! With tongue!!!!"), but not too sexy. The audience wants to be swept off its feet, but it doesn't want anything that's overly salacious.

For the most part, writer-director Nancy Meyers succeeds here. Diane Keaton plays Erica Barry, a neurotic, highly successful playwright. Jack Nicholson plays himself. Okay, technically he plays 63-year-old Harry Sanborn, owner of a hip-hop record label and chronic womanizer.

One of the funniest scenes in the movie comes right near the beginning. Harry's with his new squeeze Marin (Amanda Peet), at Marin's mom's house. There's Harry, in his boxers and a t-shirt, putting wine in the 'fridge, when Marin's mom - you guessed it, Erica - unexpectedly comes home. Naturally, she thinks he's an intruder and calls 911. I mean, wouldn't you? It takes some explaining, but soon the misunderstanding is cleared up and our combatants (oops, participants) can get on with the romancin'.

The thrust of the story (oops, another pun) is that while fooling around with Marin upstairs, Harry suffers a heart attack. At the hospital, Dr. Mercer (an interestingly cast Keanu Reeves) admonishes the unrepentant Harry for overexerting himself and tells him not to travel for a little while. Yup, you guessed it, that means he has to bunk with Erica. And our romance is thus set up.

The good news is that pairing Keaton and Nicholson (who appeared together in 1982's Reds) was a great, great idea. Keaton basically plays a grown-up Annie Hall, and she manages to look sexy and daffy at the same time. Nicholson, for all his bluster and creakiness, still has the panache that has served him so well for the past forty years or so.

The trouble is that after their relationship is consummated, the two leads behave like seventh graders. Now, no offense to you seventh graders out there, but you do have a tendency to get melodramatic. Admit it. In this movie, Erica spends - no exaggeration here - a good ten minutes sobbing. And sobbing. And sobbing. Everywhere and anywhere. Yikes and double yikes. For his part, Harry broods like no one's ever brooded before, like he's up for an Olympic medal in the event of Feeling Bummed Out. After a while, you wish these two crazy kids would just get over it. Call her! Call him! Do something!

To make matters worse for the relationship, Erica writes a play based on her experiences with Harry, complete with him dancing drunkenly in a hospital gown. Does this lady play hardball, or what?

Granted, the storyline is predictable, but the two leads are wonderful, and very well cast. Meyers wrote the script with Keaton and Nicholson in mind specifically, the decision was a wise one.

Something's Gotta Give has a funny beginning and a sweet ending, but the middle suffers from an unfortunate lag.