Plot: What’s it about?
When we last encountered the couple of Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton, they were last spotted at the height of the Russian Revolution where Nicholson’s Eugene O’Neill was at the losing end of a love triangle with Keaton who ended up with Warren Beatty’s Jack Reed in 1981’s Reds. That won Beatty a Best Director Oscar in an ironic result of a year where the Best Director and Best Picture nominees matched up (The Best Picture winner was Chariots of Fire). This time around love is still in the air but instead of a serious historical setting, the atmosphere is one of an older comedic type as Nicholson turns on the wild charm and Keaton turns on her giggly side and when push comes to shove, Something’s Gotta Give.
Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is a successful head of a hip hop label and a certain man about town. It seems everywhere he goes, he’s spotted with a much younger girl around his arm to accomodate him anywhere. One of the lucky girls, Marin (Amanda Peet), invites him to her mother’s house in the Hamptons for a special weekend alone, but certain matters bring Harry and Marin’s mother Erica (Diane Keaton) together in a series of awkward moments at the house. Things become more complicated when Harry’s health gets the best of him and his doctor (Keanu Reeves) takes a liking to Erica. Unaware to everybody, all the craziness is being recorded by Erica who is also a successful playwright and every good idea is playing itself out on this one weekend.
What was ripe to be a typical romantic comedy between a more middle aged bunch becomes a fast fleeting and happy surprise that gets better with every viewing. The great talents in romantic comedy play out here as the entire ensemble complement each other in every way.
Nicholson plays Harry as a communicator that can put off some but can impress a great many more with his stories about his ladies’ past or his curiosity around the Hamptons house of his host. Harry is a man who has been through so many women and never once thinks of settling down until one comes into his life to make him re-evaluate what he’s really been doing with his life. It comes in the form of Keaton’s Erica who is not as open to men because of her past hurt feelings but with the arrivals of Harry and the doctor that takes Harry in, it brings not only a bit of love to her life but an inspiration to write.
They both have super chemistry in every scene they are in together. From Jack’s skirt chaser to Keaton’s determined playwright the both of them get more material to play with this time around and the other actors around them get in on the fun and get wonderful moments as well.
Keanu Reeves shows his talents excel beyond the action films (also evident in another wonderful ensemble piece Parenthood) as he plays the doctor, a great foil for Harry that looks like he can be a good match for his younger mate but in reality has more of an eye for her mother and he blends in nicely within the insanity. Good support also comes from Frances McDormand as Erica’s sister who has her own take on men and is not afraid to let it out in front of her sister and at the dinner table.
Everyone seems to be having a good time in this film despite some crisis in between. Usually in a film things don’t even out and all of you have is a movie that is good in spurts but this film is far from that that to it’s excitable cast and it’s wonderful balance between it’s choices of music ,that balance from placid to sixties hip cha cha bongo, to not going too over the top and not suffering from any moments of redundancy.
Video: How does it look?
I haven’t seen this film since it came out on DVD and that’s been (as of this writing) over two decades ago. Suffice it to say that those expecting a good-looking transfer might be a tad bit disappointed. It’s an improvement over the DVD, to be sure, but there are also a few scenes that really left me scratching my head. Some grain on the print threw me as well. By no means is this “bad”, but given that Sony’s Blu-ray’s are usually top notch, the contrast and overall image detail seemed to be a bit lacking. This movie deserves a bit better.
Audio: How does it sound?
The film has a lot of dialogue but there is a lot of music and some sounds going on at the same time and the DTS HD Master Audio track captures it nicely as the effects once in a while come from the outer channels but there are few being that the film mostly takes place indoors with a few moments outdoors and those given an occasional shot of music and some nice dialogue which balance nicely. All come through the channels and all sound very good and even though the score by Hans Zimmer is good, the other music choices to accompany it is greater. Through the entire track, there is no muted ranges or garbled messes. A very good track.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – The first of two tracks features producer Bruce A. Block and Diane Keaton, who comes into the session partly through and stays for a fraction of the time. It’s a decent track and has some interesting things from all players involved.
- Audio Commentary – The second is with Jack Nicholson and both commentaries are good detailing the shooting of the film and what is was like working with everyone as actors and as characters and each one fills out the missing answers to the questions raised on either on of the commentaries. This one’s a little more entertaining thanks to the inclusion of Jack Nicholson who has some interesting comments through the track both in and out of character and he’s always a good listen along with Nancy.
- Deleted Scene – Nicholson’s character singing to Diane Keaton’s character.
- Hampton’s House Set Tour – Amanda Peet gives us a tour of a house we’ll never be able to afford.
- Theatrical Trailer
The Bottom Line
This film has aged better than expected. Nancy Meyers both wrote and directed the film, is in her element. Nicholson and Keaton are in top form and the supporting cast of Keanu Reeves, Amanda Peet and Frances McDormand only sweeten the deal. The Blu-ray offers a slight uptick in picture quality as compared to the DVD and with no new supplements added, this one might be a hard sell.
