‘And So It Goes’ aims to provide the baby boomers with a little light entertainment. With two big names headlining, expectations could be high, but does the latest offering from ‘The Bucket List’ director Rob Reiner live up to them?
Oren Little (Michael Douglas) is a successful real estate agent looking to offload his own house before retiring to a cabin interstate. He’s a bitter, brusque and unpleasant widower, having lost his wife to a long battle with cancer. His neighbour, Leah (Diane Keaton), is a never-quite-made-it actress now moonlighting as a pub torch singer. When Oren’s son is sent to prison with no one to care for Sarah, his daughter, Oren and Leah develop a co-parenting relationship, and the inevitable ensues.
SWITCH: 'AND SO IT GOES' TRAILER
Reiner delivers a brainless charmer in 'And So It Goes'. Keaton plays the same character she always plays - she seems a bit like those 3-chord pop-songs: different lyrics, but still sounds precisely the same. Douglas embraces the opportunity to play the grumpy old man, doing his best to improve some mediocre writing.
With the bulk of the population entering their twilight years, and many of Hollywood’s big names joining them, the market for these types of films is growing. For what it is, 'And So It Goes' meets expectations. It’s sweet, predictable, and feel-good. There are the obligatory awkward moments, the usual character redemption, and a great supporting cast. The best lines go to Oren’s colleague, Claire (Frances Sternhagen - ‘Julie & Julia’), and Sterling Jerins is adorable as “ten-on-Friday” Sarah.
It’s sweet, predictable, and feel-good.
The soundtrack consists of golden oldies and a forgettable score. The editing is questionable; some scenes seem completely unnecessary and notably slow. The entire movie travels along at walker pace, never requesting more than half-awake levels of concentration. There are some laugh-out-loud moments, a few painfully awkward scenes (Keaton’s specialty), and a couple heart-warming reasons to smile. If you need a movie to take your mum or nan to, 'And So It Goes' might fit the bill.