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December 24, 2005
Something's Gotta Give
Last night, I was convinced it would be months before I could enjoy a romantic comedy. Today, perhaps because I was enamored with movies after waking up to Double Happiness, I stuck around HBO to watch a movie I've avoided since it came out. My sister instilled in me a healthy dose of Jack Nicholson dislike and I've never particularly cared for allowing the cad to be the hero of my movie fantasies. Oh, really, who am I kidding? Cads are usually a helluva lot more interesting than nice guys on film.
So I was pleasantly surprised when I enjoyed the first two thirds of this film. It seemed to strike true notes with pitch perfect dialogue and the right twist. And yet, there was always Keanu Reeves sticking out like a sore thumb. And really, did it have to have a Hollywood ending? About the third to last scene is when people get into a cab. I thought that would've been the perfect place to end it. Nope. Instead it had to be schmaltzy.
Which was another interesting thing. Keaton's family is vaguely Jewish - at least I don't know any non-Jews who throw around Yiddish as easily as they do. But why? Because of the ethnic identity of the screenwriter / director, Nancy Meyers? Perhaps.
I agree with Ebert that Keanu's character was a poorly constructed plot device whose actions are completely unrealistic (except for his initial action of being smitten for a woman whose work he admires)...and I'm struck by A.O. Scott's observation that he and his fellow theater goers laughed hysterically when Keaton cried hysterically. Guess it hit too close to home for me because I thought - "oh, okay, I'm not going crazy by having the same reaction" and "her crying sure doesn't sound real to me." I suppose it's harder to laugh at the truth when you're living it.
More info:
IMDB page
A.O. Scott's review in the NYT
Ebert's review
Rotten Tomatoes page
Posted by cj at December 24, 2005 03:00 PM