Something's Gotta Give

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. Pictures
Release date(s)	United States: December 12, 2003
Running time	128 min.
Country	United States
Language	English French
Budget	$60 million
Gross revenue	$124,685,242 (USA) $142,000,000 (Foreign)[1]

Something's Gotta Give is a 2003 American romantic comedy film, written, produced and directed by Nancy Meyers for both Columbia Pictures, which distributed in North America and Warner Bros. Pictures, which distributed overseas. 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 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 nomination for "Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy."

Plot

Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is a wealthy New York music mogul who has had a habit of dating women under 30 for 40 years. When he and his latest conquest, Marin Klein (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 a 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, Zoe and Marin both having to go back to the city. Harry and Erica's differing personalities initially make for awkward living arrangements (including a memorable scene where Harry accidentally sees Erica naked), until the two begin to get to know each other.

Soon, they start to get along, although 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, however, has apparently made the same decision, and they break up with each other simultaneously. Harry and Erica spend more time together and the relationship they have with each other gets even more serious. After they have sex, Harry discovers that his improving health means that he no longer has to stay with Erica, and in a very awkward decision, he heads home.

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 (Tayrene Mugridge), 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, Dr. Martinez (Rachel Ticotin), 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.

Harry visits Marin six months later, who tells him that she is pregnant and has a new husband. Harry apologizes if he ever hurt her and she tells him that was never the case. She also tells him that her mother is in Paris to celebrate her birthday. Harry shows up at 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 tells Erica that he has spent the last six months making things right with all his former women friends.

She was waiting for Julian, whom she met when Harry had his first episode. Harry and Erica are extremely happy to see each other and once again realize how much they are in love. Julian 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, when Erica says goodbye outside the restaurant to Harry.

While Harry is gazing over the river Seine in the Paris night saying "look who gets to be the girl" as it starts to snow, Erica pulls up in a taxi. She gets out and explains to Harry that Julian figured that they both still loved each other. Harry says "I'm 63 years old and for the first time in love". Harry and Erica kiss; the movie resumes about one year and a half later at another restaurant in New York. Erica and Harry, now married, are eating out with Marin and her new husband with their year old child.

Cast

• Jack Nicholson as Harry Sanborn, a 63-year-old aging, self-satisfied playboy and socialite who owns ten companies, including a magazine and the second-largest hip hop label in the world. Having a libido much younger than his years, he only dates women under the age of thirty.
• Diane Keaton as Erica Barry, a 56-year-old successful, divorced Broadway playwright, partly living in an upscale Hamptons beach house. Having survived her divorce without huge bitterness, she lives a quiet life of professional fulfillment if romantic disappointment.
• Amanda Peet as Marin Barry, Erica's daughter, a 29-year-old auctioneer, working for Christie's.
• Keanu Reeves as Julian Mercer, Harry's 36-year-old doctor. He is also a huge fan of Erica's with whom he develops a relationship.
• Frances McDormand as Zoe, Erica's sister. She is a Women's Studies Professor at Columbia.
• Jon Favreau as Leo, Harry's personal assistant.
• Paul Michael Glaser as Dave Klein, Marin's father and Erica's ex-husband. He directs Erica's plays.
• KaDee Strickland as Kristen, Dave's fiancée. She is an ear, nose and throat doctor who is two years older than Marin.

Soundtrack

Something's Gotta Give was a co-production between Columbia Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, both companies have released soundtracks for the movie.

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

Track listing - Warner Bros.

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

The following soundtrack was released on February 23, 2004 by Columbia Pictures.

Track listing - Columbia

1. "La Vie en Rose" - Louis Armstrong
2. "I've Got a Crush on You" - Steve Tyrell
3. "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos
4. "So Nice (Summer Samba)" - Astrud Gilberto
5. "Remember Me" - Heitor Pereira
6. "Samba de mon coeur qui bat" - Coralie Clément
7. "Que Reste-t-il de Nos Amours" - Charles Trenet
8. "Assedic" - Les Escrocs
9. "Je Cherche un Homme" - Eartha Kitt
10. "C'est Si Bon" - Eartha Kitt
11. "Brazil" - Django Reinhardt
12. "Sweet Lorraine" - Stephane Grappelli, Ilsa Eckinger, Ike Isaacs and the Diz Disley Trio
13. "Love Makes The World Go Round" - Deon Jackson
14. "La Vie en Rose" - Jack Nicholson

Reception

Awards

Golden Globes:

• Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (Diane Keaton)

National Board of Review:

• Best Actress (Diane Keaton)

Satellite Awards:

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

Nominations

Academy Awards:

• Academy Award for Best Actress (Diane Keaton)

Art Directors Guild:

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

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards:

• Best Actress (Diane Keaton)

Casting Society of America:

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

Golden Globes

• Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (Jack Nicholson)

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)

Pop culture references

• Dead Like Me (2003) - There is an ad for the television show "Dead Like Me" on a bus that passes Marin by in the scene where she is on the phone with Erica.
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) - Diane Keaton comments "I don't want to play the role of the uptight nurse to your bad-boy patient" to Nicholson, referencing Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched to Nicholson's Randle P. McMurphy.
• Casablanca (1942) - Erica says "We'll always have Paris".
• Something's Got to Give - The title refers to one of the most notorious unfinished films in Hollywood history, starring Marilyn Monroe.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} ""Something's Gotta Give @ Numbers"". The-Numbers.com. http://the-numbers.com/movies/2003/SGGIV.php/. Retrieved on 2008-02-17. 
2. ^ ""Something's Gotta Give"". Rottentomatoes. http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/somethings_gotta_give/. Retrieved on 2008-02-17. 

External links

• Official website
• Something's Gotta Give at the Internet Movie Database
• Something's Gotta Give at Allmovie
• Something's Gotta Give at the TCM Movie Database
• Something's Gotta Give at Rotten Tomatoes