“And So It Goes” could be the title of where the movie stands as far as receiving our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal. This movie is funny and engaging at times, but falls short in the content arena, and “so it goes” that it doesn’t receive our Seal. Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton are genuinely funny in the film. Douglas plays Oren Little, a successful realtor who does things like shooting a paintball at a dog about to evacuate himself on the lawn, and Little also refuses to move a few feet when parking his car so his neighbor at the apartment building he is staying in can get closer to the building for his pregnant wife. He also doesn’t want to take in the granddaughter he has never met when he learns his son has to spend some time in prison. He is not the epitome of compassion but in one angry moment he tells another character in the movie that he bathed and fed his sick wife who was dying from cancer, and even prayed for her, so he did have compassion. Yet despite his grumpy ways the very likable Leah (Diane Keaton) takes an interest in him, and he encourages her in her singing at a local club. It becomes apparent that they have enough differences and enough similarities so as to attract each other, and that a relationship is probably inevitable.
The movie contains some good lines, including a woman talking about her husband passing away, the husband she loved, and his death leaving her behind. “Sometimes life outlives love,” she says. It also shows that change is possible as a father and son find healing in their formerly torn relationship. However, sadly, it is the content that prevents the movie from receiving our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal. Despite the fact a woman says she doesn’t practice casual sex, she does in one scene after just getting to know a man a bit. Also, there are several uses of strong language. We wish this funny and engaging film had remained more family friendly.