In teaming up with Nancy Meyers and Jack Nicholson for Something’s Gotta Give, Diane Keaton delivered one of her best roles in the latter part of her career.

Wealthy New York record company executive Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) has a habit of dating women under 30, including his current girlfriend, Marin Klein (Amanda Peet). Expecting a quiet getaway at her mother’s Hamptons beach house, Harry and Marin are surprised when Marin’s mother, playwright Erica Barry (Diane Keaton), and aunt Zoe (Frances McDormand) arrive. After an awkward dinner, Harry suffers a heart attack during foreplay with Marin and is hospitalized. The doctor, Julian Mercer (Keanu Reeves), advises Harry to stay nearby, leading him to reluctantly recover under Erica’s roof—where Julian’s admiration for her creates added tension.

Initially clashing, Erica and Harry slowly discover charm in one another, though their budding connection faces obstacles. Harry’s fling with Marin and Erica’s interest in Julian complicate matters, while Harry struggles to reconcile his feelings. Marin plans to break up with Harry, but he ends it first. Spending more time together, Harry and Erica grow closer and eventually become intimate. When Julian informs Harry he can return to the city, the two share a tender but uneasy farewell, leaving Harry hesitant to pursue a serious relationship.

Family complications add strain when Marin reacts badly to news of her father’s remarriage to a much younger woman. At dinner, Erica spots Harry with another young woman, prompting her to confess her love, only to be rebuffed. Heartbroken, Erica channels her feelings into a new play, A Woman to Love, inspired by her affair with Harry. When Harry discovers the play and rushes to see it, he realizes the story mirrors their time together. Despite their lingering feelings, Erica resists Harry’s advances, and he suffers a panic attack, prompting a temporary relocation to the Bahamas to manage his stress.

Six months later, Erica’s play is a hit, and Harry seeks closure by apologizing to Marin, discovering she is happily married. Learning Erica is in Paris, Harry surprises her at a restaurant, where Julian graciously steps aside. Erica and Harry finally acknowledge their love, and he admits that, at 63, he is experiencing love for the first time.  Something’s Gotta Give closes a year later with the couple celebrating life and family with Marin, her husband Danny (Peter Spears), and their newborn daughter, solidifying a joyful, blended family.

It was rather sad a few weeks ago to check my phone after Shabbos and learn of Diane Keaton’s passing, later revealed to be from pneumonia. She won an Academy Award for Annie Hall and received three more nominations for Reds, Marvin’s Room, and Something’s Gotta Give. That nomination was well-deserved, and while she didn’t win, she was recognized by both the Critics Choice and the Screen Actors Guild in the same category.

Outside of the HFPA, Jack Nicholson didn’t receive the same awards recognition for his work in Something’s Gotta Give. That’s not to take anything away from his performance here. To be fair, the As Good as It Gets star had been nominated just a year earlier for About Schmidt. Keaton, by contrast, hadn’t been nominated since 1996.

There’s something about Keaton and Nicholson consistently turning in phenomenal work no matter the project. Nancy Meyers—who previously co-wrote a trio of films starring Keaton—manages to get remarkable performances out of them in Something’s Gotta Give. Neither actor phones it in. Actors often struggle to find roles as they get older, but Meyers has a knack for drawing brilliant work from experienced performers. You can say the same about Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, and Alec Baldwin in It’s Complicated or Robert De Niro in The Intern. Sure, these films aren’t for everyone, but Meyers knows her craft.

Something’s Gotta Give is a testament to the enduring talents of Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson, with Keanu Reeves providing solid support. While it leans on familiar romantic comedy tropes, the film’s charm comes from the performances, which elevate the material beyond the usual formula. Nicholson may not have acted since How Do You Know, but Something’s Gotta Give demonstrates just how captivating he and Keaton can be on screen, delivering a mix of humor, romance, and genuine emotion that stays with the viewer.

DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER: Nancy Meyers
CAST: Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves, Frances McDormand, Amanda Peet, Jon Favreau, Paul Michael Glaser

Sony Pictures released Something’s Gotta Give in theaters on December 12, 2003. Grade: 4/5

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