Something's Gotta Give (film)

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Something's Gotta Give

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Nancy Meyers
Produced by Nancy Meyers
Written by Nancy Meyers
Starring Jack Nicholson
Diane Keaton
Keanu Reeves
Amanda Peet
Music by Hans Zimmer
Cinematography Michael Ballhaus
Editing by Joe Hutshing
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Warner Bros.
Release date(s) United States:
December 12, 2003
Running time 128 min.
Country Flag of the United States
Language English
French
Budget $60 million
Gross revenue $266,000,000.[1]
Official website
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Something's Gotta Give is a 2003 American romantic comedy film, written, produced and directed by Nancy Meyers for Columbia Pictures and Warner Bros. It stars Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson as two successful 60-somethings, who find love for each other at a different time of life, despite being complete opposites. Amanda Peet and Keanu Reeves co-star, with Frances McDormand, Paul Michael Glaser, Jon Favreau, and KaDee Strickland playing key supporting roles.

While critical reaction to the film as a whole was more measured,[2] it received generally favorable notice and became a surprise box-office hit following its North American release, eventually grossing US$266,600,000 worldwide, mostly from its international run.[1] For her performance Keaton was earned a Golden Globe, a Satellite Award as well as an Academy Award and a SAG Award nomination for "Best Actress," among others. Nicholson also received a Golden Globe nomation for "Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy."

Contents

[edit] Plot

Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is a wealthy New York businessman who has had a habit of dating women under 30 for 40 years. When he and his latest conquest, Marin Barry (Amanda Peet), drive to her mother's Hamptons beach house on the coast, his life turns upside down.

Expecting to be alone, Harry and Marin are surprised by Marin's mother, successful playwright Erica Barry (Diane Keaton), and her sister Zoe (Frances McDormand). After an awkward dinner, the night turns disastrous when — during foreplay with Marin — Harry has a heart attack and is rushed to hospital. The handsome young doctor, Julian Mercer (Keanu Reeves), tells Harry to stay in the area for a few days, and so Harry ends up staying with Erica. Their differing personalities initially make for awkward living arrangements, until the two begin to get to know each other.

Soon, the two have fallen in love, they live very different lifestyles — Erica's determination to be single and independent, and Harry's constant desire for new women and experiences — combined with the fact that Harry is dating Marin and Julian has fallen for Erica, leave the two struggling to deal with their current relationships with others, but also work on their own. Marin soon breaks up with Harry after she suspects that he's in love with her mother. The break up is not out of anger, but rather she wants her mother to be able to have a relationship with him and for her own life to move on. Harry and Erica spend more time together and the relationship they have with each other gets even more serious. Harry's improving health means that he no longer has to stay with Erica, and in a very awkward decision, he heads home.

Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson as Erica Barry and Harry Sanborn.
Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson as Erica Barry and Harry Sanborn.

Meanwhile, Marin receives news that her father, Erica's ex-husband who she still allows to direct her plays, is getting remarried. Although Erica is unaffected by the news, Marin is devastated, exhibiting self-centered behavior which implies that she is the only one this concerns. She pressures her mother into going to dinner with Marin to see her ex-husband and his new fiancée. At dinner, Erica is the life of the party until she sees Harry at another table with another woman, and is crushed, because she realizes that she still loves him. Harry spots Erica and tries to convince her that the woman was just a friend and that they weren't in a relationship. In the argument that follows, Harry suffers from what he believes is another heart attack and is rushed to the hospital where he is told that it is only a panic attack but he must rest if he doesn't want to end up in the hospital every week. The female doctor tells him that if he was her 'Dad' she would not want him out alone so soon after a heart attack, clearly emphasizing his age. Harry goes home in an attempt to get some rest.

Erica, on the other hand, also goes back home and breaks down into tears. Although she is heartbroken, she figures that the events that are happening in her own life would be great to use in a play, and thus she starts to write a play on the whole experience. While at lunch with a friend, presumably an actress, Harry hears her ramble about a new play that she is auditioning for and starts to summarize it while explaining how funny it is. Harry nearly chokes when he realizes the play is about him and rushes to the stage where it is being rehearsed, and sees Erica. They don't manage to heal the wounds that have been made and Erica tells Harry to get on with life.

The story then opens up six months later in Paris where Erica is spending her birthday with her new boyfriend, Julian, whom she met when Harry had his first episode. Harry shows up to the restaurant where she is eating because of an agreement they made earlier, that they'd spend their birthdays (Erica in January, Harry in February) together in Paris. Harry and Erica are extremely happy to see each other and once again realize how much they love each other. Erica's boyfriend interrupts when he enters the restaurant a little late. They never have time to really tell each other their true feelings until hours after the dinner.

While Harry is gazing over a canal in the Paris night, Erica pulls up in a taxi. She gets out and explains to Harry that Julian figured that they both still loved each other. Harry and Erica kiss and it's assumed that they get married. The movie resumes about one year and a half later at another restaurant in New York. Erica and Harry are eating out with Marin and her new husband with their year old daughter.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Soundtrack

The soundtrack was released on December 9, 2003 from Warner Bros. Records.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Butterfly" - Crazy Town
  2. "Sing a Song" - Earth, Wind and Fire
  3. "Oooh Baby" - C+C Music Factory
  4. "Samba de mon coeur qui bat" - Coralie Clément
  5. "Fibre de Verre" - Paris Combo
  6. "Let's Get It On" - Marvin Gaye
  7. "O Beijo (The Kiss)" - Claudio Ragazzi
  8. "Here We Go" - Grits
  9. "Que Reste-t-il de Nos Amours" - Charles Trenet
  10. "It's On Tonight" - Johnny Rourke
  11. "You Can Get It If You Really Want" - Jimmy Cliff
  12. "Have Dinner" - Badly Drawn Boy
  13. "Assedic" - Les Escrocs
  14. "I've Got a Crush on You" - Steve Tyrell
  15. "Graffito Disguise" - Mason Daring
  16. "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos
  17. "La Vie en Rose" - Louis Armstrong
  18. "So Nice (Summer Samba)" - Astrud Gilberto
  19. "Boum!" - Charles Trenet
  20. "Je Cherche un Homme" - Eartha Kitt
  21. "Sunday Morning" - Maroon 5
  22. "Julian Calls" - Badly Drawn Boy
  23. "C'est Si Bon" - Eartha Kitt
  24. "Brazil" - Django Reinhardt
  25. "Exactly Like You" - Christopher Westlake and Bonnie Greenberg
  26. "Sweet Lorraine" - Stephane Grappelli, Ilsa Eckinger, Ike Isaacs and the Diz Disley Trio
  27. "I Only Have Eyes for You" - Michael Melvion, John Guerin, Tony Dumas, and Mitch Holder
  28. "Learn How to Fall" - Paul Simon
  29. "La Vie en Rose" - Jack Nicholson

[edit] Reception

[edit] Awards

Golden Globes:

National Board of Review:

  • Best Actress (Diane Keaton)

Satellite Awards:

  • Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical (Diane Keaton)

[edit] Nominations

Academy Awards:

Art Directors Guild:

  • Excellence in Production Design Award: Feature Film - Contemporary Film

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards:

Casting Society of America:

  • Best Casting for Feature Film, Comedy (Jane Jenkins and Janet Hirshenson)

Golden Globes

Motion Picture Sound Editors:

  • Best Sound Editing in a Feature: Music, Feature Film

Screen Actors Guild Awards:

  • Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role (Diane Keaton)

[edit] Pop culture references

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Something's Gotta Give @ Numbers". The-Numbers.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-17.
  2. ^ "Something's Gotta Give". Rottentomatoes. Retrieved on 2008-02-17.

[edit] External links


Preceded by
The Last Samurai		 Box office number-one films of 2003 (USA)
December 14, 2003		 Succeeded by
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
v • d • e
Films directed by Nancy Meyers

The Parent Trap • What Women Want • Something's Gotta Give • The Holiday