Something's Gotta Give: Little Movie with Jack and Diane/ Two American Actors Doin' Best They Can

Something’s Gotta Give is a charming romantic comedy. After reading the words “romantic comedy,” you now know how the film ends unless you have already seen the trailer. If you’re still not sure whether Jack and Diane will get together, you’re either too young to be on the Internet or you should stop on by the house and I’ll take you to my leader. Klatu Barada Nikto.

Many people enjoy seeing these films about courtship because they are positive, uplifting and a distraction from the real world. It’s a regular crowd pleaser, which is why they keep making and remaking them. They all follow the same pattern with slight variations on the sequence of events. Boy and girl meet. Family members or the couple’s own egos keep them apart. Then something happens by coincidence and {poof} they live happily ever after or at least until the credits roll. Simple, easy, and none of the grueling work needed to maintain a relationship.

Now that you know the basic elements of these stories the specifics of the plot are as follows: Marin, a gorgeous, 30-something, auctioneer, played by Amanda Peet, is heading out to the Hamptons with Harry Sanborn, Jack Nicholson, a highly successful entrepreneur, although we never see him at work. He doesn’t play her grandfather but is instead her date. As things start to get a little steamy, Marin’s mother, Erica, and Aunt Zoe show up and find Harry in his underwear. 

Respectively, they are played Diane Keaton who gives a wonderful performance and the underutilized Frances McDormand. It’s very uncomfortable and everyone wants to leave, but since it’s a big house, they decide to make the best of it. Seeing Harry with her daughter combined with the foolish things he says about women and relationships during dinner cause Erica to dislike Harry.