Few major films have conveyed imagery as frightening as the horror of Diane Keaton going through menopause on screen in Something's Gotta Give, a pathetic fantasy written by and for perimenopausal women. The use of a stellar cast misleads unsuspecting audiences into thinking that they will be entertained, challenged, or enlightened by this film. Unfortunately, the plodding and predictable script leads viewers deeper and deeper into despair, as implausible story lines are played out to their tedious conclusion.<br /><br />The film does raise some important questions, however. E.g., why would lovely Amanda Peet ever give nasty old Jack Nicholson the time of day? And more to the point, why would Keanu Reeves' character (the young, brilliant and charming doctor) desire carnal contact with moldy old Diane Keaton? Is this some veiled remake of Harold & Maude? Obviously there is an unresolved Oedipal complex in Keanu's character's life (or perhaps in the screenwriter's). For believability, if they wanted a "mature" female lead, go to Diane Lane. She's still got "it," in spades. Perhaps even Annette Benning. Or maybe even Meg Ryan (who should begin to accept the fact that she is beyond ingénue parts). But Diane Keaton frankly looks too old for Keanu Reeves, and the impression is conveyed to the viewer that some kind of Point is being made about women's rights. Why didn't they just use Meryl Streep? At least that would've sent a clear warning out to potential male viewers, fooled by the presence of Jack Nicholson into thinking there was a movie in there somewhere.<br /><br />At any rate, Keaton is not given much to work with, as the sexually insecure and frustrated donna of this soap opera. She is reduced to looking embarrassed or heart-broken most of the time. Keaton is capable of so much more complexity, going all the way back to Looking for Mr. Goodbar and The Godfather. Nicholson fares little better, and one is never sure whether his character is supposed to be smarmy, nasty, or smarmy and nasty. Amanda Peet's character is a unidimensional débutante, who (being young and attractive, and therefore threatening to the intended audience of menopausal middle-aged women) is reduced to the status of a well-intended know-nothing, the naive daughter who has not lived long enough to have developed a real personality. This is a sad waste of talent, and the interested viewer is encouraged to look at some of Peet's meatier roles, in such films as the obscure Digby Goes Down, or even the ludicrous Saving Silverman.<br /><br />If something's gotta give, it's this movie -- spend an evening watching something -- anything -- else.