Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lukewarm romcom has some drug content, swearing.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
And So It Goes
What's the Story?
Oren Little (Michael Douglas), a Connecticut real estate broker, is an outright curmudgeon. He's crass, prejudiced (he sizes people up by ethnic stereotypes), will shoot a dog with a paintball gun, and blocks the driveway of his apartment building, never mind that his pregnant tenant can't park close to her home. Part of the reason he's so bitter is due to the death of his wife, whom he nursed until she passed away. He's also lost contact with his son, a junkie who shows up at the family home, now for sale, asking his dad to care for his tween daughter (Sterling Jerins) while he serves a stint in prison. Never mind that Oren has never even met his grandchild. If not for Leah (Diane Keaton), a neighbor and tenant who takes a liking to his granddaughter, where would Oren be? But the man has a special talent for getting in his own way.
Is It Any Good?
Director Rob Reiner has made a number of excellent films, including When Harry Met Sally and This is Spinal Tap, but AND SO IT GOES won't be joining that list. Despite the presence of greats Douglas and Keaton, the movie suffers from an extreme lack of momentum and fails to elicit enough emotional investment in its characters and what happens. Yes, there are stakes -- having your former junkie son show up with a kid you've never met certainly ups the ante -- and, yes, there's a romance that doesn't go smoothly. But it all unfolds in a lackluster manner that subverts any energy the movie musters. A few side plots, including Keaton's character's attempts to launch a cabaret career, are distracting.
That said, Douglas and Keaton are delightful (especially Keaton), even if their chemistry barely ignites. And when it comes to what the movie is all about, Reiner goes for the obvious answers. For instance, could there be a more on-the-nose symbol than caterpillars -- which one character keeps as part of a science experiment -- metamorphosing into butterflies? And so it goes, indeed -- just not very impressively.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what role drugs/drug use plays in And So It Goes' plot. How did drugs get in the way of Oren's relationship with his son? What are the other consequences of substance use here? Are they realistic?
Hollywood often pairs disgruntled men with kind women who are depicted as softening them. What do you make of this cliche? How does it play out here?
What audience do you think this movie is aimed at? How can you tell?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 25, 2014
- On DVD or streaming : November 18, 2014
- Cast : Michael Douglas , Diane Keaton , Yaya Alafia
- Director : Rob Reiner
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Clarius Entertainment
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 94 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some sexual references and drug elements
- Last updated : March 13, 2020
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