Something's Gotta Give

Plot synopsis:
Harry Sanborn is a wealthy New York music mogul who has had a 40-year habit of dating women under 30, including his latest conquest, Marin Klein. The two drive to her mother's Hamptons beach house expecting to be alone, but are surprised by Marin's mother, successful playwright Erica Barry, who is there with her sister Zoe.
After an awkward dinner, the night turns disastrous when — during foreplay with Marin — Harry has a heart attack and is rushed to a hospital. The doctor, Julian Mercer, tells Harry to stay nearby for a few days, so Harry ends up staying with Erica. Their personalities clash and make for awkward living arrangements—until they get to know each other. The fact that Harry is dating her daughter and that Julian has fallen for Erica leave the two struggling to deal with relationships.
Marin and Harry agree to break up. He and Erica spend more time together and eventually consummate their relationship. Harry discovers that his improving health means that he no longer has to stay with Erica, so he heads home.
Marin receives news that her father, Dave Klein, Erica's ex-husband, whom Erica still allows to direct her plays, is getting remarried to Kristen, an ear, nose and throat doctor who is only two years older than Marin. Although Erica is unaffected by the news, Marin is devastated and pressures her mother into accompanying her to a family dinner. Erica is the life of the party until she sees Harry at another table with another woman. In the argument that follows, Harry suffers from what he believes is another heart attack, but he is told by the young ER physician, Dr. Martinez, who treats him like her father, that it was only a panic attack.
Although she is heartbroken, Erica figures that these events would be great to use in a play. Harry hears about it and rushes to the NYC theater where it is being rehearsed. Despite her denials, it is quickly obvious that she has used the most personal details of their affair in the play. Erica coolly rebuffs his every insinuation that he cares about her and hints that his character will die in the play—for a laugh. He then has another panic attack and is again treated by Dr. Martinez, who warns him that he needs to learn to "decompress".
Six months pass. Erica's play is a huge success. Harry pays Marin a visit to apologize for anything he ever did to hurt her. She replies that he was nothing but nice to her and happily tells him that she is pregnant and has a new husband. Harry expresses a desire to see Erica. Marin tells him that her mother is in Paris celebrating her birthday. Harry decides to surprise Erica. Remembering how they had once planned to spend their birthdays together there, he shows up at the Parisian restaurant where she is seated at a table. Harry explains that over the past six months he reached out to all of the women he ever had affairs with, and even though repeatedly rebuffed at first, finally broke through. They all had identical harsh stories that helped him learn how "I arrived at being me." He tells Erica that his trip to find her was the last and the farthest. Julian appears. All along, Erica has been waiting at the restaurant for Julian, whom she is now dating.
Harry and Erica get along well during the dinner, but they part outside the restaurant. While he is gazing in heartache over the river Seine, ("Guess who finally gets to be the girl?" he says to himself) Erica pulls up in a taxi. She explains that Julian figured out what was happening between them and decided to step aside to let Erica be with Harry. Harry explains that his search the last six months has made him realize he truly loves Erica. Harry and Erica kiss.
A year later, at a New York restaurant, Erica and Harry, now married, are out with Marin, her husband and her new baby daughter, as one big happy family.

Tags: comedy, boring, romantic, flashback

Review:
Diane Keaton gives the performance of her career in 'Something's Gotta Give,' writer/director Nancy Meyers' smart and savvy take on middle-age romance.
The chemistry generated between Keaton and Nicholson in this film is so glowing and palpable one wonders why no filmmaker ever saw the potential of this dynamic duo until now.In addition to these two outstanding performers, the film boasts excellent supporting work from Frances McDormand as Erica's pragmatic, clear-headed sister; Amanda Peet as Erica's level-headed daughter; and Keanu Reeves as Harry's handsome young doctor who finds himself smitten by Erica's mature beauty and charm.'Something's Gotta Give' is that rare romantic comedy that not only acknowledges the romantic inclinations of people over forty, but also recognizes the emotional complexities of their relationships.
It takes the experience that comes from living to make a person interesting, after all.Thanks to the quality of the writing and the performances, 'Something's Gotta Give' takes its place among the great romantic comedy/dramas like 'Two For the Road,' 'Annie Hall,' 'When Harry Met Sally' and 'The American President.' That's mighty august company indeed..
Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton always give their 100% best in their performances, they did a great job in their roles.
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.
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..
Nicholson's doctor (a good performance by Keanu Reeves, getting away from his stupid "Matrix" films) soon falls in love with Keaton who is totally oblivious to his feelings.
Not so with this film, thanks to a sharp-witted script and direction by Nancy Meyers, two great stars in Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson who click wonderfully together on screen and an excellent supporting cast that includes Keanu Reeves, Amanda Peet and Frances McDormand.
Harry Sanborn (Nicholson), the over-age playboy who has spent his entire life avoiding serious commitments, is set to spend the weekend with his flavor of the moment girlfriend, Marin(Amanda Peet), at a beach house owned by Marin's mother.
Unfortunately for Harry and Marin, Marin's mother Erica Barry(Diane Keaton), who is a famous playwright, shows up for the weekend also with her sister Zoe(Frances McDormand).
And, it's simply a delight to watch.When the film begins, Harry (Jack Nicholson) is out chasing after a women who is about a third his age, Marin (Amanda Peet).
However, this womanizing eternal bachelor is about to come into contact with Marin's mother, Erica (Diane Keaton) and for the first time in his life, he begins to have real feelings for a woman.
Most importantly, however, the writing is so good that you believe such a relationship COULD happen--and it's not simply a formulaic film and the two behave in wonderful and unexpected ways when they realize they are in love.
Something's Gotta Give (2003)There are two things recommending this film: Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton.
We're supposed to believe that not because of how his character is developed, but because...well...because he's Jack Nicholson.Diane Keaton wasn't particularly disappointing, because I've never been a big fan of hers, anyway.
It's the film's version of character development that her character evolves from an uptight recluse to a self-actualized, fully-empowered woman, but to me that transition was just too easy.Amanda Peet, playing Keaton's daughter, gives a one note performance that, while consistent with the rest of the movie, relies more on her beauty than on substance to get the audience to care about her.
In a movie like this, which suggests that Jack dates young women because he sees them as merely pretty faces, it's almost criminal to not prove to the audience that Peet is anything but.Finally, France McDormand, in a smaller role, seems to exist solely for the purpose of directly verbalizing the movie's thesis at the beginning of the movie.
While normally I love Diane Keaton, I found this movie very hard to watch, especially during her 15 minute crying jag vignettes.
I must confess that I don't know if the movie got any better after the scene on the beach with Amanda Peet and  Diane Keaton because my husband and I walked out.
I thought this was going to be a fun little romantic comedy, with Jack Nicholson romping all over the screen, instead this was a sappy, women's empowerment(until the end) movie with a little mother daughter movie mixed in.
There were several plot points that were just ridiculous, and pointless, one of my main problems with this movie, was near the end when Jack shows up at Amanda's door with a full beard, in the next scene he's shaved it off, now, I understand the beard was to show that time has passed but they flashed the "6 months later" up on the screen, so the beard was pointless, I kept wondering why his travelings had made him forget how to shave.
There is good chemistry between Nicholson and Keaton, even though they look like their clenching their jaws when they kiss, and much of the movie's first hour or so is very funny.
But the movie begins to run out of steam in the second half as more attention is payed to character growth then getting some good jokes in, and while Meyer's movies tend to have pat and predictable endings, they generally work better on their own terms than this one, which feels false and formulaic.
Her previous effort, WHAT WOMEN WANT, not only gave Mel Gibson the most 'well-rounded' comic role of his career, but revealed a talent in song and dance that Gibson had never previously demonstrated (with the revival of musicals, one can only hope that Mel will get a shot at displaying those talents again).With SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE, Meyers turns her magic to 66-year old screen legend Jack Nicholson, creating a character that more fully exhibits and explores his famous persona than any other film "Smilin' Jack" has ever made...and even takes him to task, occasionally!Even more impressively, she gives Diane Keaton, at 57, her finest screen role in years, and reminds audiences that actresses don't HAVE to be under 30 to be desirable, with a character who is wise, funny, vulnerable, and...dare I say it...still enormously sexy!The story involves a planned weekend tryst between a young Christie's broker (Amanda Peet, in another of her recent 'star-making' roles), and famous record producer Harry Sanborn (Nicholson), a wise-cracking, worldly Lothario in sunglasses, famous for never dating a woman under 35.
These people have huge budgets, access to the best acting, directorial and writing talent but somehow consistently manage to come up with absolutely beautifully shot crap.Here we have your simple love story between two opposites that fall for each other and the bad boy versus the nice guy thats good for you.
I think some exec thought it would make a more upbeat ending and hedge the risk in the "edginess" of the plot to make it more acceptable for the little middle-aged man in Peoria...So unless you're looking for something to critique for a film course or you really want to see Jack Nicholson's butt or Diane Keaton's breasts, go for something better like "As good as it gets" or "I could never be your woman" if you want romantic comedy..
Both Dianne Keaton and Jack Nicholson acted very unnaturally.The scenes at the hospital were just as pathetic as ER show.When it came to that moment where Erica asks Harry to cut her clothes, we decided to cut the viewing session.Fans of good comedies..
Director Nancy Meyers ("What Women Want," 1998's "Parent Trap" remake) serves up another dish of bland and cliché romantic comedy fluff where believability takes a back seat on the Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton vehicle "Something's Gotta Give." Nicholson plays a successful record executive named Harry, whose highly publicized relationships with women much younger than himself has given him quite the reputation.
So, for the record, regardless of love's old dream, regardless of grunting, sweating, sex, regardless of loneliness or the need for a life partner; can I make it quite clear that No Sane Woman, regardless of her age - would ever, ever, ever - Not Ever - choose Jack Nicholson over Keanu Reeves.
I saw first saw Something's Gotta Give, the new film by Nancy Meyes and starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton, a month ago.
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.
This is really quite a funny romantic comedy, mainly because of an outstanding performance by Diane Keaton as Erica Barry, a wealthy and successful playwright, who is divorced from her husband and, although lonely, apparently satisfied with her life.
Along comes Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson), an older man who is romancing Erica's 30-year-old daughter, Marin (Amanda Peet), who has a heart attack while at Erica's lavish beach home in the Hamptons and who is told by emergency room doctor, Julian Mercer (Keanu Reeves), that he must remain in the Hamptons, not return to New York City.
Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton do a wonderful job.Jack plays Harry Sanborn, a 60 something reprobate who cannot conceive being in a relationship with any woman beyond the age of 25.
Due to a scheduling mixup, Mother also shows up and after a good deal of initial confusion, an uneasy truce ensues with both parties agreeing to spend the weekend while remaining discreetly out of one another's way.Later, while trying to consummate a physical relationship with the daughter, Harry has a heart attack and is rushed to the hospital where a young local doctor Julian Mercer, played by Keanu Reeves, saves his life.
This is a good movie for anybody who likes Jack Nicholson because he is a riot in this film as the playboy old enough to be these women's grandpa.
Seeing Keanu Reeves and Diane Keaton on the screen is like watching two different movies spliced together in the editing studio.
I expected a lot of this movie with the "big names " in it, but found it slow and drawn out especially jack nicholson, diane keatons performance was a complete "overacting" saga, and the story, well!it tried to be a great love story but was never going to get there.
"Something's Gotta Give" is about a man (Jack Nicholson) who dates younger women, but then falls in love with his newest flame's mother (Diane Keaton), whose house he's staying at because he recently had a heart attack.
There was a little bit of witty banter between Nicholson and Keaton, a script as devoid of plot as any movie I can recall, and an absolutely throw-away ending.
The rest is schmaltzy, over-sentimental drivel, broken up only by intermittent rays of light provided by Jack Nicholson and, to a lesser extent, Keanu Reeves.Diane Keaton is hideously miscast, although she is not helped by her character being wafer thin - are we supposed to believe Erica is a top playwright when she displays such little understanding of life and love?
Frances McDormand is criminally underused, although by the end you have the feeling that her main scene could have been in a different film.The plot is turned several times too many (if you thought Return of the King had too many false endings, try this on for size) but always to the inevitable conclusion.4/10, with all points being scored in the first quarter by Jack Nicholson..
Nicholson, back to hamming it up, plays a 63 year old bachelor hip hop label owner who meets up with Diane Keaton's frigid playwright via her daughter, played to unconvincing effect by the girl with greatest eyes since Liz Taylor, Amanda Peet.Meyers' script starts strong and somewhat sassy but the plot machinations grow tiresome and the budding romance between the two older leads goes from amusing and involving to downright pathetic.
Besides, the chemistry between Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson is just fun to watch.8/10.
But here is a movie in which the older guy (played by Jack Nicholson, big surprise) and the younger woman actually start out together, THEN the old guy falls in love with a woman...
The only good thing about it was Jack Nicholson, and Diane Keaton was so damned annoying (does she ever quit crying?).
There's less than meets the eye in Nancy Meyers' romantic-comedy-cum-ageist/feminist-polemic about a roué (Jack Nicholson) who has an affair with a successful, self-reliant playwright (Diane Keaton), the mother of one of his attempted conquests.
Keanu Reeves plays the younger man who comes between Keaton and Nicholson; it would have been nice to see him getting back into the comic form he was so comfortable with in `Parenthood' and `Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure' but he's given very little to do and ends up being an unneeded straight man.
Jack Nicholson was miscast as the aging love interest (come on - women are falling for this guy who keeps having heart attacks?).
The movie tries to be overly cute and only ends up being annoying (there is an endless scene of Keaton crying that destroys any shred of credibility her character has managed to create), and looks like it was pieced together by several writers, none of whom consulted with the other.
Nowhere near as humorous as Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear.How many times can you milk a joke about needing glasses to read the fine print or rehashing the stale email flirtations of Harry 37 before you start looking at your watch and wishing for the credits to roll.Aside from my doubting the movie's premise, that an aging writer, Keaton, is infinitely fascinating to both an aging lech, Nicholson, and a dashing young doctor, Reeves, I was bored by the long drawn out scenes of romance.Perhaps the movie was an autobiographical fantasy for the writer, director, producer of the film.
I was so excited about this movie...I am a big Diane Keaton fan, enjoy Jack Nicholson a great deal and generally like well made romantic comedies.
Even if I am a fairly young compared to the characters on the film it was incredibly nice for a change to see a movie about 50 something people who find love at old days.Erica Barry (Diane Keaton) is a celebrated theater author who is in her mid-fifties, has divorced a couple of years backwards and she is more beautiful than ever in her life.
You may guess the rest.Even if the story is somewhat told a dozen times before it is still fresh and the theme of mixing the young and the old is very much appealing.Diane Keaton makes a strong lead by playing Erica who thought she had all things that life can give you.
And I don't buy for a minute, the whole scene in Paris.But the performances of Nicholson and Keaton, more than make this movie worth seeing.
Starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, and Keanu Reeves and opening toward the end of 2003, `Something's Gotta Give'  a meaningless title  is a conventional Hollywood film `romantic comedy' that gently rejects June-December romances.
I cant believe that wonderful movie has a ratio of 6.3 out of 10.How people vote movies.This movie is one of the best movie of my life and in its branch best.I really don't see a necessity to talk about players but i think i should because of that absurd votes.Diane Keaton is one of the best female actress and this is one of her best performance i think.Jack Nicholson was perfect like usual.One of the most important think about this movie is that movie was directed very good thank to Nancy Myers.Most important think about movie is that the story was perfect thank to Nancy Myers again.When i say perfect i mean real perfect.There are lots of real good comedy movies but they don't have a good story but this one has a perfect story that sometimes made me laugh to tears sometimes made me felt i have to fall in love.Add your MUST BE WATCHED LIST.10 out of 10..
The plot is quite typical for a romantic comedy and it makes it a little predictable, but the good chemistry between the two main characters (Nicholson and Keaton) and the fact that they do not do a bad acting at all (well they are good actors) is the main point of the film.
A very funny, quirky romantic comedy in the vein of "As Good As It Gets," about a 63-year-old bachelor (Jack Nicholson) who has it all: glory, money, and young women at his disposal.
When his newest girlfriend (Amanda Peet) brings him home to her house, Jack meets her mother (Diane Keaton), who is closer to his own age and is dating a younger man (Keanu Not Act Reeves in "Doctor Role," which basically means he's playing the same thing he always does).
I loved the aging protagonists, played so marvelously by both, Jack Nicholson & Diane Keaton.
I wanted to see the movie as I was curious to see how Jack Nicholson & Keanu Reeves will feature in such a romantic comedy movie.
There's a great scene on the beach between Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton, which seems almost improvised, where they talk about his reputation for non-commitment and her supposed non-date with his doctor.
Something's Gotta Give  Gives Love and Laughs Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) the no-ties, younger ladies man, casually dates a classy, New York, Southampton, twenty-something, woman named, Marin Barry, (Amanda Peet), daughter to notable play write, Erica Jane Barry (Diane Keaton).
All elements for a good comedy are included- very good performances by Nicholson and Keaton (Reeves is a bit disappointing), a number of hilarious scenes and a story that is quite interesting.