And So It Goes Review
RYAN: This is a new romantic dramedy starring Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton. It hasn’t been particularly buzz worthy although it is directed by Rob Reiner who has previously are classics like The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally…
CAROLINE: Two of my favorite movies ever made. I wanted to see this one if only because of that. How is it?
RYAN: It’s pretty good. The casting is great, so that obviously helps and not only the leads – supporting roles are played by the director, in a funny toupee, plus there’s Broadway leading man Andy Karl, currently starring in the musical Rocky, and then Bunny from Sex and the City.
CAROLINE: Oh I loved Bunny.
RYAN: They were both funny, especially Frances Sternhagen – she’s a real scene stealer in this film. Diane and Michael are good too. Michael is basically doing his best Jack-Nicholson-in-As-Good-As-It-Gets impression the whole movie. He’s such a curmudgeon and he plays it well.
CAROLINE: And Diane?
RYAN: Typical Diane – and by typical I mean she’s always in the same kind of wardrobe. Have you noticed that? She must have it in her contracts for films that her characters have the same style as she does in real life. Why is she the only actress incapable of wearing a costume in a movie? She’s always in the same colors and outfits. I can’t think of another actor or actress who gets away with it.
CAROLINE: Yeah that is very strange when you think of it. I don’t think most people really care though.
RYAN: She plays a lounge singer and she has a voice but it’s very thin. She’s not a particularly good singer but she’s good enough. But normally when there’s singing in a movie I find it more rousing than it was in this film.
CAROLINE: Is it very funny?
RYAN:There are a few authentically funny moments and then there are other obviously funny moments that completely fail. They feel totally out of place within the drama and come across as desperate and even inappropriate to the tone at times. I was baffled they weren’t cut out. The drama is much more effective than the comedy in this film.
CAROLINE: That’s a shame.
RYAN: It all feels a bit like a play. I think this script could work well on stage – even how the location is set up. Diane and Michael play neighbors and the use of doors is interesting.
CAROLINE: How’s the romance?
RYAN: It’s a good story for the older set. The intimate scene in this movie is actually funnier than all of the movie Sex Tape – so that tells you something about how bad Sex Tape was.
CAROLINE: (laughs) Totally.
RYAN: There was one scene with a character who is a lawyer later in the film who had terrible makeup – so apparent – it should have been reshot. I couldn’t believe what we were watching. I could barely pay attention to the scene at that time because the makeup was so bad.
CAROLINE: How embarrassing!
RYAN: It’s a simple, sweet movie that tells an original story. There’s not too many stories involving romance for actors over the age of 60. It’s nice for that. But it’s problematic and I had much higher expectations from the director of such classic films.
