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Health & Fitness

Movie Review - And So It Goes

And So It Goes *½ (PG-13) Kurt Vonnegut introduced the last three words of this title into our culture in his classic satiric novel Slaughterhouse Five; newswoman Linda Ellerbee’s version with the "and" made it even more famous as her signoff for insightful news and commentary segments. Both would grieve over its deployment in this tired attempt at a sentimental romantic comedy. Or maybe the producers used it ironically, admitting how this was merely the inevitable application of old convention (bitter old dude rediscovers life and joy from new connections with others), directed by what’s left of Rob Reiner, and starring the remnants of Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton. She’d already steered a better course through these murky waters opposite Jack Nicholson in Something’s Gotta Give.

Douglas’ character is a surly widower who is rich enough to be a curmudgeon, rather than just a regular jerk. His estranged son, while on his way to prison, suddenly sticks the old grouch with the care of a 10-year-old granddaughter he’d never even known existed. Kindly neighbor Keaton - a widow who sings oldies in a local lounge until her own grief causes show-stopping crying jags - provides the path to Douglas’ re-humanization. That’s not a spoiler. Everyone knows where this plot absolutely positively must come to rest before the thing even starts. It’s the Law of the Land in Tinseltown.

The sets are lovely. The comedy content is slim. Douglas’ path from loutish to loving grows tiresome. As a cinematic crooner, Keaton delivers a tossup with Kiera Knightley’s recent gig in Begin Again. Or by another measure, the film’s eminent music director Marc Shaiman (five Oscars and a slew of other awards) has written or collaborated on dozens of acclaimed movie scores and memorable songs... none of which he has Keaton perform. The net result is a paint-by-numbers production of the second time around for its geriatric principals that will satisfy relatively few of their fans. (7/25/14)

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