Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
When perpetually single, aging music industry exec Harry Sanborn, and his latest trophy girlfriend, Marin, arrive at her mother's beach house in the Hamptons, they find that her mother, playwright Erica Barry, also plans to stay for the weekend. Erica is scandalized by the relationship and Harry's sexist ways. But when Harry has a heart attack while there, and the doctor prescribes bedrest, his only option is to stay at the Barry home. Left in the care of Erica and his doctor, a love triangle starts to take shape.
Something's Gotta Give is a well-crafted romantic comedy elevated considerably by its performances — Nicholson and Keaton are both exceptional, with Keaton earning an Oscar nomination for her raw, funny, and emotionally genuine work. The plot follows a fairly predictable will-they-won't-they arc with some fresh angles around mature romance and female creative autonomy, but the beats are familiar. Nora Ephron's direction keeps things polished and the Hamptons setting is handsome without being particularly distinctive cinematographically. The concept of an older woman getting the romantic spotlight is somewhat novel for Hollywood but the execution leans into genre conventions. The ending resolves tidily in crowd-pleasing fashion without great surprise.