“Because I Said So” (Universal Pictures)
Keaton Is Keaton and That’s Enough
Diane Keaton is the star and reason for the new romantic comedy “Because I Said So.” The fact that she lends her face, name and talent to this project is enough for most people and those who love Keaton will love this movie. It is a Diane Keaton chick flick just as were “Something’s Got To Give,” “Father of the Bride” and “The First Wives Club”; and this movie should meet with the same amount of success.
Keaton plays Daphne Wilder, a long time widow with three daughters. She manages to get two of them married off but has trouble with the third and youngest, Milly (Mandy Moore). She gets so desperate to find Milly the right man that she takes out an ad on the Internet and interviews prospective suitors. After a long string of losers, suddenly Mr. Right appears. His name is Jason (Tom Everett Scott) and Daphne decides he is perfect.
Daphne has met these applicants at a restaurant where a man named Johnny (Gabriel Macht) plays guitar. He strikes up a conversation with Daphne and learns what she is doing. He offers himself as a candidate but Daphne totally rejects him. He therefore decides to take maters into his own hands and arranges to meet Milly.
The rest of the movie concerns who will Milly choose. Will it be Daphne’s choice Jason, or the dark horse named Johnny In a movie like this there is very little doubt as to how it will all turn out. There is a twist however when Daphne meets Johnny’s father (Stephen Collins) and finds herself very attracted to him.
Keaton is the star of this film and she is a delight. From her kooky clothes to her breath of fresh air appeal, she makes Daphne a delight even though she is a terribly meddling mother. Mandy Moore is no Diane Keaton but she does a pretty good job as the put upon daughter. Lauren Graham and Piper Perabo have some good moments as the two other siblings.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and sexual situations.
No one plays romantic comedy as good as Keaton. She can take the most trivial script and make it come to life with laughs and heartaches. This is not the best script she ever had but she manages to make it enjoyable and fun from beginning to end.
“Because I Said So” is fluffy and light and thoroughly predictable but who cares when your tour guide through it all is the inimitable Diane Keaton. She may have been Woody Allen’s protge but her career has lasted and where is he now
I scored “Because I Said So” a Woody-less 6 out of 10.
