And So It Goes (2014)

Oren Little (Michael Douglas) is one of four tenants at the Shangrila located along the water of a beach town. Oren has turned into a grumpy old man since his wife died. Leah the widow next (Diane Keaton) door and can't seem to stop crying about her husband during her cabaret performances. Oren is in the process of selling the family home when his estranged son Luke (Scott Shepard) shows up with daughter Sarah. From here it gets predictable, but I liked Douglas and Keaton together. Music reminded me of the Big Chill. Was surprised Keaton could sing and that Rob Reiner was not only in the film as Arte, Leah's manager, but also co-produced the film. Great movie for at home dinner and a move with gal-pals

I am a sucker for a good romcom, especially when it involves two of my favorite actors. So even though IMDb reviewers gave this title a collective 5.4, I gave it a shot. I was very disappointed. The script is sappy, the action choppy and some of the scenes and scenarios highly implausible, like when Claire explains the whole story of how Luke came to be in jail, in lurid detail,in a mere 90 seconds and Oren's initial dismissiveness of the clients who finally bought his house. The relationships between the characters were not always clear, e.g.m, the realtor who was Oren's grandson should have been Luke's son or nephew but we never got that; he got Luke's story from him on Facebook. Oren's character changed too abruptly. It could have been a sweet little story but it just did not flow for me at all.

And So It Goes is a gentle comedy about the fragility of being human. Rob Reiner, its director, suggests that in the eternal presence of youth, it is possible to continue to grow young and transform one's life. Although its main characters, Leah, a widow who sings torch songs in supper clubs but can't get through one without crying (Diane Keaton) and Oren, a widower and veteran Realtor who is just counting the days until retirement (Michael Douglas), are at odds with each other. In the course of events we find opposites attract and are vital to one another's growth. Both are still actively grieving their deceased spouses in very different ways. Oren slips away to the graveyard to talk to his wife, while showing the world a nasty, hardened face. His dream of retirement hinges upon the final sale of the $8.6 million mansion where he lived with her once upon a time. Should the sale go through, he intends to head for the serenity of a solitary life tucked away in Vermont. In the mean time, he must weather the storm of living among others in the cramped quarters of a multiple family dwelling he owns and sardonically nicknames "Shangri-La." Although both Leah and Oren are in fragile shape, they unify when Oren's ten year-old grand daughter is dumped on his doorstep by his son, a man estranged from his father for double digits who is going away to prison. Oren attempts to get rid of the child, but Leah steps in, revealing her material instincts in full bloom. Her "perfect love" with her deceased husband did not enable her to become a mother and this is her opportunity. The vulnerability of Oren's young grand daughter, who his keenly aware that she has been dumped in the hands of an aging, unhappy man who does not want her, is beautifully and delicately rendered.In their struggle to deal with the child, Oren is humbled by Leah's superb ability to cope and begins to grow fond of both Leah and his grand daughter. In spite of his crude behavior toward his neighbors/tenants in the past, love enters the humble community at "Shangri-La" in the form of the arrival of a ten year old, the adoption of a stray dog, the sudden birth of a baby and the transformation of caterpillar into...a butterfly. This happiness is a metaphor for the potential happiness hidden in even the most banal settings and social situations. Only when events conspire to reveal the more elevated nature in people can both young and old face what the future has in store for them--something that is always a question mark.And So It Goes is a far more realistic and beautiful love story than the blockbuster hit that Diane Keaton made with Jack Nicholson, As Good As It Gets, over a decade ago. It is not a movie about "beautiful people" living in spotless white houses in the Hamptons or middle aged divorcées who manage snag aging, jaded producers so rich they date twenty year-old girls. That film was a complete fantasy on every level. (Without Keanu Reeves for visual relief it would have been hard to take some of the love scenes.) And So It Goes is a far gentler, far less glamorous film about love "among the ruins" than As Good As It Gets. Its verisimilitude may make less mature audiences uncomfortable for that reason. Ultimately, Keaton and Douglas pull off their roles like the pros that they are. It's a pleasure to see them get to know one another gradually, albeit clumsily and foolishly, in a way that is true to life. I highly recommend And So It Goes for anyone brave enough to watch fragile people still attempting to transform their lives and move forward in the face of the unknown.

Well, finally a movie for us adults with no F words, car chases, explosions, vampires, aliens or other 'special effects'....Great....AND SO IT GOES isn't the best film of the year and yes, it does have its clichés, but it's a wonderful film just the same. Michael Douglas has rarely been better and Diane Keaton....is well...Diane Keaton...but a little less quirky than usual. Surprised how well she sings. A few heart tugging scenes, some laughs and serious moments make this a must see for the 'older generation' I"m afraid the younger generation would be bored and hoping for some big car crash or super-hero to invade the area. And heavens to betsy...no nude scenes!!! Story is very similar to AS GOOD AS IT GETS, with a few twists. But that's OK. Just enjoy this fine film for what it is. A feel gooder!!!