Das grenzt an Liebe

It's easy to assume the worst of And So It Goes. It looks like every other generic "comedy" that's been hastily slapped together to appeal to a more mature audience - the kind of film in which, these days, respected veterans of the silver screen appear in order to finance their retirement. Heck, this isn't even the first time Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton have popped up in such "comedies": the former played an aging Lothario in Last Vegas, while Keaton kicked off the whole sub-genre in Something's Gotta Give, and most recently appeared in The Big Wedding. The good news is that And So It Goes somehow manages to work anyway. It's predictable and occasionally not funny at all, but when it settles into its groove, the weight of age and experience of the two lead characters contributes quite a bit to their inevitable romance.

Oren Little (Douglas) is a cynical, cantankerous old man who's never recovered from the death of his beloved wife many years ago. As a result, he's pushed almost everyone away, including his estranged, ex-junkie son Luke (Scott Shepherd). While trying to sell off his family home so he can retire in Canada, Oren moves into a lakeside apartment complex he owns. There, he meets Leah (Keaton), an aspiring lounge singer who can never get all the way through a song without bursting into tears at the thought of her own deceased husband. On his way to a stint in jail, Luke begs Oren to take care of his daughter Sarah (Sterling Jerins) - a task which Oren promptly palms off to Leah.

The plot, as you might imagine, marches on predictably from here: Oren and Leah, forced to spend more time together, begin to soften towards each other. He realises she's smart, spunky and a great cook; she sees that he's not just a grumpy, irascible ball of hatred. It's sometimes hard to take too seriously the way in which And So It Goes pulls off its so-called 'character development': can a casual bigot like Oren, who tosses off rather offensive remarks with little care for what others might think, really be trusted around other human beings? Much less deliver a baby, as he's called upon to do in one of the film's more surreal moments?

And yet, the film manages to find its own emotional groove anyway. The connection between Oren and Leah, both of whom have lost the first loves of their lives, is deep in a way other meet-cute romances aren't. You suspect that the reason they fall for each other is as much due to mutual attraction as to the fact that the other person loves so deeply and so truly.

Both actors lend the considerable weight of their experiences and personalities to their roles: Douglas gives Oren a great deal of charm, and makes his friendship with his old biddy of an assistant Claire (Frances Sternhagen) shine through the insults they casually trade. Keaton does what Keaton has always done, and does it very well. She glides through the film, as kooky as the day we first sat up and took notice of her in Annie Hall, and easily sings her tremulous way into Oren's heart - and the hearts of her audiences.

Not by any stretch of the imagination a great film, And So It Goes is nevertheless a mostly enjoyable watch. It won't be a highlight on the CVs of anyone involved: not for director Rob Reiner (who has a supporting role as Leah's hapless accompanist), and certainly not for Douglas and Keaton. But it won't be an abject embarrassment either. You might be hoping for a little more from cast and script and premise, but this is nevertheless a film that - for all its awkward fumbles - deals with the profound ideas of love, loss and second chances in a surprisingly effective way.

You can't watch this film and not think of one of the two films I referred to- 2003's "Something's Gotta Give" and of course the Oscar- winning 1997 "As Good As It Gets". Overall, I'll give "And So It Goes" a modest recommendation if you liked those two films, but this movie has got it's problems. One of those problems I think honestly is the length- at only 90 minutes (your standard running time to maximize the movie multiplexes' number of showtimes), you just don't have the time to fully develop the story and characters; unlike "As Good As It Gets" for instance- a 2 & 1/2 hour movie. Oscar winners Diane Keaton & Michael Douglas I think work well together, and have on-screen chemistry. They just needed a more fully-developed screenplay.

And Rob Reiner (who also has a supporting role in the film)- wow; this guy used to be one of the top Hollywood filmmakers of the '80s and early '90s- with films like "Princess Bride", "Stand By Me", "When Harry Met Sally", "Misery", "A Few Good Men", etc... He had a modest comeback with the 2000's film "Bucket List", but other than that, the guy can't seem to catch a break about the past 20 years- ever since that infamous bomb "North" I'd say?? Well, anyhoo, if you're looking for something to watch, and the aforementioned films are not readily available (or you've seen them enough already), you may wanna give this a try- And so it goes...

The story itself is pretty simple. The characters are kind of simple too (at least the one played by Michael Douglas). But the way they play (off each other), is phenomenal. There is something to the actors, which we know they are able to charm us and that they have the ability to take things to another level. And that is what they are doing here, elevating the movie itself.

There have been a couple of movies, where the main character is unlikeable at first. And this "method" makes sense, but only if a really strong actor is playing that role. Some things might go a bit too smooth, but overall you know where this is going. It's a nice movie, with overall good acting and superb acting by our two leads.

"In every heart there is a room/A sanctuary safe and strong/To heal the wounds from lovers past/Until a new one comes along." Billy Joel

Respectfully depicting romance with sixty something's is as challenging as getting someone other than Jack Nicholson to play the male lead. Director Rob Reiner in An So It Goes has achieved the near impossible by having Michael Douglas do better than Jack by underplaying a crusty but ultimately dear real estate agent, Oren Little, a widower selling his own 8 million dollar home somewhere in Fairfield, Connecticut.

With Diane Keaton for the love interest singing in a lounge (Frankie Valli plays the owner!) a sweet range of Rodgers & Hart, Irving Berlin, and Jimmy van Huesen tunes, Reiner has two Oscar-winning performers who mostly underplay the attraction that takes them out of the clichéd situation of "hate then love" into a more reasonable slow growth to affection. Writer Mark Andrus, who knows of these matters from writing As Good as It Gets, in which Jack gets his reality check also from Keaton, offers subplots without the usual screaming and insults. However, make no mistake, the plot is as predictable as it gets.

Oren inherits his hitherto unknown granddaughter, Sarah (Sterling Jerins), from a prison-bound ex-junkie son, Luke (Scott Shepherd). Neighbor Leah (Keaton), finding in Sarah the granddaughter she never had, sometimes seems to question that she could have feelings for such a meathead as Oren. When Oren accurately reflects me at my most clueless, I temper my criticism of clichés.

Because Douglas himself has had major challenges with his son, Cameron--a drug addict still doing time--authenticity pours out of Douglas, who gives a believable performance as the conflicted father/grandfather. In real life Douglas called himself a "bad father," so I award him points for honesty then and courage for his depiction now.

Although I would have preferred more depth in Oren's relationship with Luke, Andrus and Reiner go enough into Oren's growing love for Sarah and his appreciation for Leah. With no new story creativity, the seasoned actors make the plot combinations reasonable. Even the minor characters defy their stereotypes, headed by Frances Sternhagen as Oren's real-estate partner with a penchant for cigarettes and sardonic repartee with Oren. Hints of the screwball comedy! She's that good.

Reiner should be applauded for toning down the bad jokes usually accompanying Social-Security-eligible lovers. However, I don't believe Douglas would forsake Catherine Zeta-Jones for Keaton. That's the reality we know. And so it goes.

'And So It Goes' is an unfussy, light-hearted romantic-comedy, that entertains you till it lasts. Its sweet & uncomplicated!

'And So It Goes' Synopsis: A self-absorbed Realtor enlists the help of his neighbor when he's suddenly left in charge of the granddaughter he never knew existed until his estranged son drops her off at his home.

'And So It Goes' is a decent film, about family & love. Mark Andrus's Screenplay is well-worded & fast, wasting no time in the narrative for its loopholes to ever show up grandly. Rob Reiner's Direction is pretty good. Reiner is back in form, after a hiatus.

Performance-Wise: 'And So It Goes' would've failed, had its leading performers faltered, but that doesn't happen here. Michael Douglas is superb as the self-absorbed Realtor, while Diane Keaton is extra-ordinary as the women in grief. The Legends perform above expectations, once again! Sterling Jerins is adorable.

On the whole, 'And So It Goes' works just fine. 91-Minutes will swing by well!