"And so it goes" - A Movie review..

It has been a while that I written about a movie. Not that I have not been keeping abreast of my second love ( you know the first), but not been able to devote as much time to it as I would have liked - call it professional rigor or work life - whichever seems fancier to you. So today morning - a gorgeous Spring day in Atlanta - after I finished my customary weekend activities, I flicked through my list in Netflix hoping to slide down my Sofa with a packet of Potato chips, water and my digital writing app on my phone (to take down my impressions, notes, appreciations, sarcasm - whatever it may be) - to watch a "good movie". I was literally taken aback by the sheer number of movies in my wish list - some 200 odd films that I have added over the last six months. As I reviewed, I wasn't sure why some movies were on the list at all in the first place. There must have been definitely something about it that would have prompted me to add it when I did, but at this distance, I failed to recollect why? Anyways, my choice (after half an hour) of surfing narrowed down to “And so it goes", a 2014 movie that tickled my artistic nerve. The brief story line (Netflix does that part really well) whetted my appetite and the star cast impressed me. The choice was made. I pulled my French windows down, switched the thermostat to a cozy 68 degrees, arranged my pillows snugly under my neck and below my legs, a blanket pulled over my dhoti, just enough to cover up to my knees - and pressed the "Play" button.

The first thirty minutes set the tone of this old aged romantic drama - interspersed with emotions and thrills ranging from grumpiness, racial slurring, sex, filial love, existential fear and general bonhomie. In ninety four minutes director Rob Reiner - do you remember Rob? - The man who directed classics such as "A few good men"," When harry met sally,", The Stephen king beauty "Misery" - proves that one can really get away with a sloppy screen play, weak story line ; if you had a good cast and caliber of artists who can rescue scenes from morose depths of mediocrity. Michael Douglas as Oren (the rich old irritable realtor) and Diane Keaton as Leah bring all their experience, charm and effortless understanding of visual medium to pour some life and juice into this stereotyped drama. Oren is an embittered elderly widow, who loses his wife to Aneurysm, and Leah is the conservative old American lady (still retains her capacity for gentle physical innuendos) mourning over her dead Husband who succumbs to cancer years ago. They are neighbors, and around them are young families with kids or in the processing of having kids, who try and maintain good relations with everyone. The story takes an "unexpected" twist, when Oren's estranged son leaves his orphaned daughter with his Grandfather (Oren) and goes to jail for drug trade. The young girl yearns for denied love, and looks up to the two elders who are the only ones seemingly capable of giving it to her. Her childish, energetic presence brings out radical (predictable) transformation in Oren, and also makes it possible for him to rediscover passion and love in Leah. From here on, the movie moves on known, treaded ground, and one could almost fast forward to the end without missing a beat of action.

My problem with this movie was simple. The moment I got hang of where the story was heading to, I was distinctly and repeatedly reminded of Jack Nicholson's masterpiece "As good as it gets...”, where he plays the misogynist, quirky and irritable man to perfection. I don't think this character can be performed better than Nicholson's portrayal of it. He was all cut out to play that role, and his entire attitude suited every inch of it. Wait!!. That's when I realized that the story of both these films was written by the same person - Mark Andrus… No wonder!!! - He wished to attempt recapturing the magic that earned him an Academy award in 1998.
But in this case, it falls flat on its face. I am not sure what Rob Reiner had in mind when he took up this project, but he does justice to it as far it is artistically possible.

Well, please do not get the impression that this movie is not worth watching. It has its moments. The aging Michael Douglas still manages to speak and act through his eyes and voice. There is a visible tiredness to his bearing (possibly tongue cancer is taking its toll), but there is no questioning the charm he can muster at 70. I am not surprised that Catherina-zeta jones wants to move back with him. Diane Keaton has not always been my favorite actress, but giving due to credit to her, she has performed some incredible roles in her illustrious career - "Annie hall”, “Something gotta to give" are my favorites. There is nothing much for her to do in this movie, and whatever little she has to do, she does it with trained, and long acquired elegance.

At the end of the film, I wasn't feeling bad, but I wouldn't rate it as a "good" movie. And when I say that, I mean from a critique's point of view. It leaves you with a "feel good" factor, and that may be a true yardstick of a work of art than being mechanically critical of it. I loved watching Douglas again, after such a long time. And that alone is incentive enough to recommend this movie to my friends...

God bless...