Synopsis: Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is a perennial playboy with a libido much younger than his years. During a romantic weekend with his latest infatuation, Marin (Amanda Peet), at her mother’s Hamptons beach house, Harry develops chest pains. He winds up being nursed by Marin’s reluctant mother, Erica Barry (Diane Keaton)-a successful, divorced New York playwright. In the process, Harry develops more heart pangs-the romantic kind-for Erica, an age appropriate woman whom he finds beguiling. When Harry hesitates, his charming thirty-something doctor (Keanu Reeves) steps in and starts to pursue Erica. And Harry, who has always had the world on a string, finds his life unraveling.
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Well, this makes up for ‘Baby Boom’. I guess Diane Keaton decided to give writer/director Nancy Meyers another chance – and it totally paid off.
In this one, the humour is more genuine, rooted in what feels more like real moments – not as contrived as the other one was. The direction was more understated (Nancy Meyers was not the director on ‘Baby Boom’) and that helped a great deal – the humour was firmly rooted in the texts and the performances.
In fact, overall, the dialogue and the performances are pretty solid – even Keanu Reeves gets by (which is saying quite a bit, considering his record!). And I quite liked the fact that they delved neck deep into the matter of young/old romances – and from a woman’s perspective, for once! I get so sick of women never getting the young buck (whereas male leads always get the hottie!), so this was refreshing.
It’s still Hollywood-type fodder, but it’s not too saccharine, So I rather enjoyed it, actually.
thecriticaleye 