MadMup.com

A few things before I begin:

1) The average age of my co-viewers in the theater was about 15 years older than me.
2) I refuse to go to movies anymore without a pad of paper to write down lines that strike me.
3) There was a whole list I wanted to write here, but since I didn't have paper with me, I forgot it all. Grrr.

My review:

I never was much of an "old movie" fan. I've enjoyed several old movies, but I'm not a classic movie buff. I've seen Citizen Kane and parts of African Queen and all of High Noon and several John Wayne movies, but I'm a fan of more modern movies. I guess that makes me less of a person, but I've learned to deal with that. I tell you this because I've heard of great movie couples, but I haven't seen many of them: Bogey and Bacall, Tracy and Hepburn, Cary Grant and... anyone, really. But I just got back from seeing one: Nicholson and Keaton. These two had an easy but real chemistry that made this movie more than just a standard romantic comedy for me. Maybe it's just the chance to see two great actors on one screen, but I don't think so. I mean, look at Ishtar - though I've never seen it, I hear it's terrible, and it had Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty. So stars don't make a movie - you're well-aware of this, so I won't belabor it. But Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson make this movie for me. They play parts usually reserved for younger actors and actresses in these kinds of movies. Normally watching "older people" make out would at least make me uncomfortable and at the most cause me to be sick, but I was rooting for each of them in turn, so I got past all that.

Keaton plays an uptight famous playwright, actively attempting to write her next play. Nicholson plays a famous never-married bachelor who is mostly famous for never dating anyone over the age of 30. They meet because he is dating her daughter (played by Amanda Peet), and they all converge unintentionally at a beach house in the Hamptons. Jack (to save myself headaches, I'm just going to refer to the characters by the names of those who play them, all right?) has a heart attack the first night they are all there, and they all end up at the hospital, where Jack is taken care of by Keanu Reeves, who does more believable talking in this movie than I've seen from him in a while - like, ever.

Keanu is not only aware of Diane's plays, he loves them, and he is immediately taken with her. Long story short - Jack and Amanda break up. Jack and Diane get together. Then Diane and Keanu get together. There's a play. There's a few more trips to the hospital. Finally, there's a denouement that you want, even though you're never sure it's going to happen.

This is a funny movie. There were several really big laughs that we all we participating in. Jack and Diane play familiar characters, but play them so well that you can't help but enjoy them. It's also a sad movie. It's also a romantic movie. It's a great movie, really. I recommend it...but I'll warn you that there was a bit of salty language, and we (with Jack) very briefly see Diane, well, unclothed. It's one of the most hilarious scenes in the movie, but, well, she's unclothed for crying out loud! Use your judgment on that one.

Great movie with some great lines. Here's one I do remember. Keanu leans in to kiss Diane's neck, and afterwards says, "I knew you would smell great." She replies with an embarrassed chuckle, "It's just soap." Heh.