And So It Goes

Everyone knows hookers and curmudgeons in movies end up having hearts of gold. Because we know this, there’s never any surprise when it happens. The one exception I can think of is Billy Bob Thornton in "Bad Santa." In the beginning he's a pig and in the end he's a pig; it’s delightfully refreshing.

Melanie and I saw the new movie “And So It Goes” last night as part of the New York Times Film Club. It stars Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton and is directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Mark Andrus who wrote the modern classic “As Good As It Gets.” It opens Friday 7/25.

“And So It Goes” shows the budding relationship between Oren Little (Michael Douglas) and his neighbor Leah (Diane Keaton) (a character who doesn’t seem to deserve a last name) who are neighbors in an idyllic Connecticut town. Oren Little is a widower and soon-to-retire real estate agent selling his home of many years while living in one of his rental properties, a quaint, four-family lakeside house. Leah, an apparently retired widow, fills her time singing in a small town bar and occasionally sparring with Little.

Little is a curmudgeonly, apparently friendless heel, disliked by most and only tolerated (barely) by his colleagues. He has an estranged son and a granddaughter he’s never met. The son appears, after ten years, on the cusp of going to jail (nine months, six with good behavior). With no one to look after his daughter - we learn the mother is MIA and of low moral character – the son thrusts her upon Little. Little is no one’s idea of a loving grandfather and Leah quickly becomes involved and helps care for the nine (almost ten)-year-old girl.

The plot is largely predictable and old-fashioned in a not unpleasant way. It’s obvious from the start Little will have some kind of transformation and become a more likeable character, and we know a relationship will grow between Little and Leah. Is anyone surprised Little is attracted to Leah? She acts and looks just like Diane Keaton.

The movie has small-town charm and some nice interplay between the stars and other actors. It gets off to a bit of a self-conscious start and I couldn’t help examining it and studying the production more than being involved in the story. Things improve as the movie plays out.

Michael Douglas looks considerably older here. He was most recently seen in last year’s “Behind the Candelabra” on HBO as Liberace in a surprising and brilliant performance – he won both Golden Globe and SAG awards - and looked healthier and more vital. He doesn’t look bad here, just older and frailer. Recently Douglas has battled tongue cancer and the reports are he’s recovered, but he frequently slurs his lines and it makes him sound either drunk or a little feeble.

Diane Keaton is a pleasure as always, fresh and spontaneous with that quirkiness she does so well. Her character is a delight. She’s not the center of the movie, but is well developed and we see several sides of her. I like how much singing she does, there are several scenes of her performing in local clubs. She did a great rendition of “Seems Like Old Times” way back in “Annie Hall” so I knew she had chops. Nice to see her using them again. Her voice is soft and breathy and vulnerable above the bare musical accompaniments.

The movie has effective humor and a good amount of charm and it is enjoyable, but it’s predictable and derivative of a lot of movies you’ve seen. Not much is new here, and though that’s not always a bad thing, there’s not a lot to make this one stand out.

Rob Reiner hasn’t had many successes lately, disappointing for a man who began his directing career so strongly with movies like “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Stand by Me,” “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally...,” and “A Few Good Men.” His only recent film I think I’ve seen is the only-OK “The Bucket List.” (Then again, how bad can a movie be starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson?) “And So It Goes” isn’t bad, but it probably won’t resurrect Reiner’s directing career.

I do like many things about the film, and Sterling Jerins is good as the granddaughter. It’s also refreshing to see a romantic comedy with two older leads who play off each other well. But the film is light and insubstantial; not bad, but I’m not sure it has enough for people to grab onto. It’s a little Hallmarky and schmaltzy - a little, not a lot - but I’m not sure you could remove that without making a completely different movie. I guess I was hoping for more from Rob Reiner and the writer of “As Good As It Gets.” I did enjoy it, but I’d probably only give it two or two-and-a-half out of four stars.