TxMike
On DVD from our public library.Michael Douglas is wealthy real estate man Oren Little. He is living in one apartment of a 4-plex he owns while he is showing his home for sale. His wife had died not too many years ago and his nice Connecticut home he feels should go for $8.6 Million.He has a 30-something son who seems to be always "on the edge" and this day the son shows up with his 10-yr-old daughter, a granddaughter Orin had never met. The son promptly announces he is going to jail for a few months and Orin has to take care of the girl, there is no one else. He isn't particularly happy about it.One of the tenants in the 4-plex is Diane Keaton as widow Leah. She is quite the opposite of Orin, she is very caring and helps out right away. To the point where the child begins to call her "Grandma." She is also trying to start her late-life career as a lounge singer.There isn't a lot to this movie but it is pleasant and entertaining. The story arc is to have Orin become a more caring person and in the process fall in love with Leah.The cute granddaughter is Sterling Jerins as Sarah.
penniweninger
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.
Franklie
Possible spoilers: The Mark Andrus movies 'As Good As It Gets' and 'Life As A House' are two of my favorites. The characters are deep and the changes they go through are believable. This movie didn't have those qualities. It did have moments of clever dialogue and had actors that we love and beautiful scenery, but overall it was cheesy and full of clichés. Maybe it was director Reiner not being at his finest.Oren Little was so manipulative, even at the end, that he had no sex appeal and it's unbelievable anyone would want to be with him. Leah was much smarter than her actions so we couldn't really relate to her either. Their relationship was cringe-worthy. Making kids (or anyone) pay you with a kiss is creepy. Saving a stuffed animal that's been "used" by a dog is "ew".ALL references to willies or poop could have been done without. They're cheap references, and we miss the highroad clever dialogue that would have been there instead. And we can ALWAYS do without birth scenes.The only character that we believed in was Mrs. Reyes. Everyone else seemed like a caricature.And why did no one ask Oren how his wife would have treated his child or grandchild? It probably would have ruined the shallow story line.Hopefully the next stories we get from Andrus will be more soul-searching like his earlier movies, but hopefully they won't be rated R so that I can share them with more people.
anushkalovell
While it's a touching story, Diane Keaton tends to play the same sort of Character.I have seen ALL her movies but now it is become a little tiresome.What is with those high-waisted skirts and belts...???I know these movies are some years apart but always the same character as "I told you so" OR "something's gotta give" I liked her role in Family Stone or First Wives Club but sometimes she seems a little over the edge....or may be she is in Character.Michael Douglas who is usually the more devious character and arrogant, does show a softer side.On the whole, not a bad movie.....For those of you who are die hard Diane Keaton fans, you'll enjoy this.I may be a little critical but I must admit, these types of movies do help to try and make the world a better place, just by the story itself.
AD
