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I'm worried that this movie has no chance at the box office. All the actors in Something's Gotta Give are over 30! This is a story of star-crossed lovers but they're no Romeo and Juliet. They are Jack Nicholson (age 66) and Diane Keaton (age 57). In Something's Gotta Give, they play a Record company owner and a playwright who meet when Nicholson starts dating Keaton's daughter in the movie, Amanda Peet (age 31). Meanwhile, Keaton gets interested in Nicholson's cardiologist played by Keanu Reeves (age 39). Also, along for the ride but with no love life is Frances McDormand (age 45) playing Keaton's sister. There are many romantic twists and turns but slowly, surely, and amusingly, Nicholson and Keaton fall in love. There's only one explanation for such an aggregation of old actors. This movie is produced, written and directed by a woman, and not a young woman either. She is Nancy Meyers (age 54) who previously wrote the screenplays for such movies as Private Benjamin and Father of the Bride, and directed What Women Want.
You may not like Jack Nicholson and you may say that he plays himself in every movie but you have to admit he plays himself very well. In Something's Gotta Give, he has a great Nicholson role and he revels in it. It is a joy just looking at him and watching that trademark smile cross his face. Luckily, he has the great Diane Keaton as his foil. It's nice to see her in the starring role. They are well matched and their scenes together are very fun to watch. And they both bravely show lots of skin. Something's Gotta Give also benefits from having a couple of actors, usually seen in leading roles, playing backup here. Keanu Reeves, now best known as Neo, does a very good job making us forget that part as he plays the nice guy doctor who falls hard for the older woman. And, the incomparable Frances McDormand makes the most of her 10 or so minutes onscreen. She makes you wish she had a bigger role. Since the audience for this movie is bound to be about the same age as the actors, you may recognize a couple of blasts from the past. The ER doctor, who treats Nicholson, is Rachel Ticotin best known as the sleazy but demure Martian freedom fighter in Total Recall. And, Paul Michael Glaser, the original Starsky of Starsky & Hutch, plays Keaton's ex-husband. You are probably saying to yourself that Starsky & Hutch is the last TV show that has not yet been made into a movie but fear not. The Starsky & Hutch movie, starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson is slated for release in 2004.
Something's Gotta Give is a really entertaining, funny movie. The audience, including even me, was laughing out loud throughout the film. It is pretty well written and directed but mainly it is the unbelievable cast that makes it great. This is definitely a feel-good movie at least for geezers like me in the crowd. But maybe I'm wrong. The theatre was full last night when I was there so maybe Something's Gotta Give will make it at the box office after all. You can help. Go see it!