5.5 | / 10 |
Users | 2.5 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
A self-centered realtor enlists the help of his neighbor when he's suddenly left in charge of the granddaughter he never knew existed until his estranged son drops her off at his home.
Starring: Michael Douglas, Diane Keaton, Sterling Jerins, Annie Parisse, Austin LysyComedy | 100% |
Romance | 40% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Is there any question Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton are going to spend much of And So It Goes bantering and fussing with each other, only to fall madly, truly, deeply in love by the closing credits? With that aspect hopefully already answered in most filmgoers’ minds, the next question might be, is there any element of And So It Goes which isn’t manifestly predictable, as if it had been assembled from a menu of various plot points done in other, better films? Sadly, that answer is similarly “no,” leaving this kind of drab, middling film to coast along on the considerable charisma of its two iconic stars. Written by Mark Andrus, And So It Goes combines the kind of epigrammatic title of Andrus’ As Good as It Gets along with that film’s type of curmudgeonly main male character, putting the guy through a series of small scale misadventures that in this case involve a neighbor woman (rather than a waitress) and a sweet young girl (rather than a middle aged gay man). And So It Goes aims for some raucous comedy sprinkled with more heartfelt moments, but overall it’s more pabulum than soufflé, but it at least offers Diane Keaton the chance to show some of her singing chops (fans may recall Keaton was in the Original Broadway Cast of Hair).
And So It Goes is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. While there's nothing major to complain about here, things are surprisingly soft quite a bit of the time, even in close-ups, and aside from some occasional outdoor scenery, colors aren't especially vivid or pop-worthy. There is substantial fine detail in evidence, revealing things like the fuzzy nape of Douglas' neck or the ribbed blue pattern of a suit jacket he favors. While perhaps not officially color graded, several scenes play out in hues of soft yellow, a choice which depletes minimal levels of fine detail. Contrast is generally strong, and there are no issues with digital interference or compression artifacts.
And So It Goes is stuffed to the gills with both source cues as well as Keaton's lounge act, and it's in the use of these elements that the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track really opens up and offers some spacious listening. Otherwise, surround activity is generally limited to things like ambient environmental effects, though dialogue is occasionally directional as well. Everything is very well prioritized, with excellent fidelity, and no problems of any kind to worry about.
Some older readers may recall the old Geritol ads that offered help for so-called "iron poor blood." That geriatric aid probably should have been heaped on And So It Goes by the gallon, for this film is a pretty somnambulistic "comedy" that never ignites either from a humor standpoint or even from a basic heart connection perspective. Keaton and Douglas are just fine as the focal pair, and the supporting cast is generally quite likable, but the writing is hackneyed and Rob Reiner's direction is perfunctory at best (the less said about his "performance" as Leah's accompanist, the better). Fans of the stars may still want to check this out, and for them the good news is technical merits are generally very strong.
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