Rainy Day Movie: Something’s Gotta Give

So, this past weekend I was extremely sick. I couldn’t get up from bed to do a single thing. I knew catching up on laundry, homework, or even Associated Content articles was out of the question. That’s right, my friends. This weekend was designed for me to watch movies. But not just any movie – I had to allow myself to be succumbed to watching whatever movie was the movie of the weekend. And I think we all know what those movies can be like. They’re usually the movies that I personally don’t pay any attention to when it hits theaters, the movies that make me scoff at the portrayal of what is supposed to be called, “acting,” the movies that make me wonder, how the hell did Hollywood think this would be a good idea? Well, this particular weekend, my calling was to watch Something’s Gotta Give with Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson in the lead roles.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. How could I think a movie with Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson could be as bad as I say it is? Well, that’s just the thing – it wasn’t bad! Now, I normally don’t watch romantic comedies – especially not the ones that are made today. Today’s movies seem to be too far of a stretch and way too sappy even for a 22-year-old female who happens to get teary-eyed when a child wins first place at the Science Fair. Yes, it’s a weird female hormone and I’m working on figuring how all of a sudden this “hormone” got triggered as soon as I stepped into my 20s. Anyhow – the point being – this movie was actually time well spent.

Diane Keaton plays a loveable New York playwright, Erica Barry, who’s mother to Amanda Peat’s character, Marin. Marin is in her early 30s and is dating Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson), who is 63. Now, the age difference doesn’t really seem to bother me and I went into this movie thinking it would. I was pleasantly surprised so I decide to trudge along and continue watching this movie. I was surprised to find myself chuckling in certain scenes my former self would never have thought to have found amusing!

Basically, the premise of the story begins to revolve around Erica and Harry’s love affair. Yes, Marin does break up with Harry before this happens (now that would have been a movie I might have paid $10 for!). Of course, with every romantic comedy comes the confusion and misunderstandings between the two lovers and they part ways. Erica is in love with Harry and knows it right away. Harry, on the other hand, has to come to terms with his feelings for Erica because she is an older woman. In other words, he’s starting to get a bit anxious because he’s usually going for the younger generation of women but the fact that he’s falling for Erica, someone in his ballpark, it’s starting to freak him out a bit.

I can’t go on with this article without mentioning one of the montages in the movie. It includes Erica and what happens to her after she’s told Harry that she’s in love with him and he basically tells her he doesn’t know what he wants. She goes back to her home and is crying. And by crying, I mean wailing at the top of her lungs. Now, it wasn’t one of those crying scenes that you feel sorry for the girl and you just want everything to be okay. It’s one of those scenes that, to me, was so hilarious and priceless, I could not stop laughing out loud! The movie showed her crying at the simplest of things but the way she cried was to sudden and so bizarre, in a sense, that you couldn’t help but laugh! Personally, I saw this scene almost as invigorating because she was able to cry her lungs out without anyone being around and just let it out just like she felt it. There have been times in the past where all I’ve wanted to do it just cry at the top of my lungs and just let out my frustration – everyone has at some point in their lives! The fact that this character was able to do it without any bounderies or even a second thought was awesome. Bottom line – this scene was a great one and it made me continue watching the movie to the end!

Now, the end of the movie settles just like any other predictable romantic comedy but I was genuninely happy finishing the movie and thought it was a clever way to create an atmosphere that made it okay for older people to have a sex drive and to fall in love all over again. Although the love story between Erica and Harry left much to be desired, I saw it as a great outlet for an older generation of people who feel this can’t happen to them. This movie showed that older people and younger people alike are able to have things in common and ultimately, enjoy each others company without worrying about how old they are.

I would give this movie a 3.5 out of 5, considering that I normally don’t watch these kind of movies and I was pleasantly surprised. Also, it turned out to have some great acting in it – even the bit part from Frances McDormand was appealing.

Stay tuned to future Rainy Day reviews – because everyone can use a rainy day!