---
title: "Something's Gotta Give"
year: 2003
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/somethings-gotta-give"
fi1m_id: "somethings-gotta-give"
imdb_id: "tt0337741"
tmdb_id: 6964
wikidata_id: "Q584766"
fi1m_score: 72
critics_score: 60
critics_reviews: 13
published: "2026-10-05T02:59:30.213914+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T02:59:31.158893+00:00"
region: "RO"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Something's Gotta Give (2003)

Directed by Nancy Meyers · 2h 08m · Drama, Comedy, Romance

## Identity

Something's Gotta Give

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/somethings-gotta-give
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** somethings-gotta-give
- **IMDb ID:** tt0337741
- **TMDB ID:** 6964
- **Wikidata ID:** Q584766
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337741/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/6964, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q584766

**Fi1m score: 72** · Critics 60 from 13 reviews

*In a sentence:* Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson are good company, even when the film forgets we have homes to go to

> Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson make *Something’s Gotta Give* worth the time, though Nancy Meyers asks for too much of it. The comedy is sharper than the romantic complications.

## Synopsis

Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is a bachelor accustomed to moving from one woman to the next. Something new now threatens to interrupt that routine. Erica Barry (Diane Keaton), Julian Mercer (Keanu Reeves), Zoe (Frances McDormand) and Marin (Amanda Peet) make up the company around him. His familiar approach to relationships faces a test as romance brings the possibility of a different life. Nancy Meyers writes and directs this comedy about a man who has made a habit of remaining unattached.

## Review

Nancy Meyers’s *Something’s Gotta Give* is a good romantic comedy that would benefit from knowing when to stop. Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson make it worth an evening, despite a story considerably less nimble than its stars. At 128 minutes, it asks a great deal of their ability to keep familiar romantic business interesting. They usually manage it, especially when the screenplay lets them be funny without insisting that every exchange advance the romance.

The starting point is bachelor Harry Sanborn, whose lifetime of moving from woman to woman is due an interruption. Jack Nicholson makes the part entertaining without requiring us to regard Harry’s habits as an achievement. His performance allows us to enjoy the man’s self-satisfaction while finding plenty wrong with it. Nancy Meyers gets useful comedy from that distinction, although Harry is more engaging when he creates friction than when the film asks us to invest in his romantic prospects.

Diane Keaton gives Erica Barry enough emotional weight that the romance matters even when its plotting becomes tiresome. We laughed most at the exchanges between the two leads, because their timing makes the reactions as enjoyable as the lines. She can be funny without making Erica’s feelings seem foolish, something the screenplay does not always manage as confidently. Her performance keeps us interested when the complications themselves have ceased to be much of a draw.

Michael Ballhaus’s cinematography is flattering and comfortable to watch, though it does little to make the emotional uncertainty feel urgent. Jon Hutman’s production design is similarly agreeable, almost to a fault: the film’s appearance can feel too settled for its romantic unease. Hans Zimmer’s music supplies warmth without adding much that the performances have not already provided. These are accomplished contributions, but the actors remain by some distance the most interesting things to attend to.

Joe Hutshing’s editing gives the comic partnership room to work, but the film needs firmer control of its length. As the romantic drama takes greater precedence, the pace slackens and the complications receive more attention than they deserve. Nancy Meyers seems reluctant to leave a feeling alone once it has registered. There is nothing wrong with allowing a romantic comedy to take its time; here, too many stretches offer insufficient reward for the attention they require.

The supporting cast suffers from the concentration on the leads. Keanu Reeves as Julian Mercer, Frances McDormand as Zoe and Amanda Peet as Marin promise more than the writing gives them room to deliver. Their presence helps, but their characters do not receive the same care as the central pairing. With this much running time available, giving the people around Harry and Erica more substance would have been a reasonable use of it.

As romantic comedy, the film succeeds often enough to earn some patience: the pairing works, the laughs arrive, and the feelings are treated with respect. We would not ask for a less familiar premise, only a clearer sense of when the audience has understood enough. The performances justify the indulgence more often than the screenplay does. Choose it for Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson, and allow for a longer evening than the material needs.

*Fi1m score 72, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean towards qualified enjoyment, with praise concentrated on Diane Keaton and her comic partnership with Jack Nicholson. Keaton’s warmth, sophistication and emotional range earn approval even from critics who find the film wanting elsewhere. The pair’s chemistry is the main point of agreement: enthusiastic notices find their exchanges lively enough to sustain a familiar romantic comedy, while more reserved critics still enjoy the performances.

The disagreement concerns how much those performances can carry. Several critics find the plotting slack or overextended, particularly in the final act, and some feel the move towards romantic drama costs the film its comic energy. There is also a split over its familiarity: Eye for Film welcomes its avoidance of romantic clichés, while Variety finds it stereotypical and argues that it patronises the women it claims to empower. Responses range from warm recommendation to firm rejection, with qualified assessments predominating.

## Straight answers

**How long is Something's Gotta Give, and what is it rated?**

*Something's Gotta Give* runs 2h 08m. It is a drama and comedy film.

**Where can I watch Something's Gotta Give in Romania?**

*Something's Gotta Give* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from lei 9.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**What should I watch after Something's Gotta Give?**

After *Something's Gotta Give*, try [*Brief Encounter*](https://film.one/film/brief-encounter) (1945, Fi1m 90): For love complicated by established lives, with restraint replacing comic bustle. Then [*The Lunchbox*](https://film.one/film/the-lunchbox) (2013, Fi1m 75): An unhurried romance that gives loneliness its proper weight; and [*The Apartment*](https://film.one/film/the-apartment) (1960, Fi1m 91): Romantic comedy with sharper social edges and equally important supporting players.

### Reviews we read (13)

- **Total Film**, Total Film (4/5): The review finds the rom-com formulaic but enjoyable, crediting Nancy Meyers with keeping it spiky and engaging. It especially praises the lively comic partnership between Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/somethings-gotta-give-review/)
- **Evening Standard**, Antonia Quirke (75/100, inferred): Quirke presents the film as a warm tribute to Diane Keaton and her enduring appeal. She singles out Keaton’s amiable presence and Nicholson’s strikingly animalistic performance. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/triumph-of-keatons-heart-7437700.html)
- **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (75/100, inferred): Phipps finds the romantic comedy a pleasure, though its plot sometimes hangs slack. He especially praises Diane Keaton’s performance and her chemistry with Jack Nicholson. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/somethings-gotta-give-1798199186)
- **The Guardian**, Philip French (70/100, inferred): French finds the romantic comedy likable and a clear improvement on Nancy Meyers's earlier work, though it runs a little long. He especially praises Diane Keaton’s performance, calling her a continuous delight. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Observer_review/0,4267,1143374,00.html)
- **Screen Daily**, Peter Brunette (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as a review, but its text is unavailable behind a paywall. The critic’s verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be determined. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/somethings-gotta-give/4016469.article)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page could not be read, so its verdict cannot be established. The supplied text offers no specific praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/12/movies/film-review-weep-and-the-world-laughs-hysterically.html)
- **Time Out**, TCh (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as a film review, but the review text is unavailable. No verdict or specific praise or complaint can be established from the available metadata. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/somethings-gotta-give)
- **Radio Times**, Sloan Freer (3/5): Freer calls it a feel-good romantic comedy and says Nicholson and Keaton show younger performers how it is done. She singles out Keaton’s combination of sophistication and emotional charm. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-9m6qth/somethings-gotta-give/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Jeremiah Kipp (2/4): Kipp finds the romantic comedy initially enjoyable but ultimately overlong and weighed down by generic filmmaking. He praises the chemistry and comic performances of Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton, while faulting the drawn-out third act. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/somethings-gotta-give/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (45/100, inferred): Turan finds the film amusing but says its shift into romantic drama drains much of the fun. He praises Nicholson and Keaton’s comic performances, while faulting the convoluted, overextended plot. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-dec-12-et-turan12-story.html)
- **Empire**, William Thomas (40/100, inferred): Thomas finds the romantic comedy entertaining but ultimately contrived and too pleased with itself. He praises the stars’ charm, while criticizing the underwritten supporting roles and the drawn-out final act. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/something-gotta-give-review/)
- **Variety**, Scott Foundas (25/100, inferred): Foundas finds the comedy slapdash, stereotypical, and needlessly prolonged, arguing that it panders to the women it claims to empower. He singles out Diane Keaton’s luminous, emotionally complex performance as the film’s saving grace. [Read](https://variety.com/2003/film/awards/something-s-gotta-give-2-1200537620/)
- **Eye for Film**, David Haviland (65/100, inferred): The critic finds the film very enjoyable, though less successful and credible than As Good As It Gets. They praise Nicholson and Keaton’s chemistry and the film’s refreshing avoidance of romantic clichés. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/somethings-gotta-give-film-review-by-david-haviland)

## Details

- **Director:** Nancy Meyers
- **Director:** Nancy Meyers
- **Screenplay:** Nancy Meyers
- **Cinematography:** Michael Ballhaus
- **Editor:** Joe Hutshing
- **Music:** Hans Zimmer
- **Production design:** Jon Hutman
- **Costume design:** Suzanne McCabe
- **Producer:** Nancy Meyers, Bruce A. Block
- **Cast:** Jack Nicholson as Harry Sanborn; Diane Keaton as Erica Barry; Keanu Reeves as Julian Mercer; Frances McDormand as Zoe; Amanda Peet as Marin; Jon Favreau as Leo; Paul Michael Glaser as Dave; Rachel Ticotin as Dr. Martinez
- **Runtime:** 2h 08m
- **First release (the US):** 3 December 2003
- **Genres:** Drama, Comedy, Romance
- **Budget:** $80 million
- **Box office:** $270 million

## Where to watch in Romania

- Amazon Prime Video: rent lei 9.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy lei 46.99, hd

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2004: Best Actress (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Enough Said* (2013): Another adult romance that lets embarrassment survive alongside the attraction.
- *Brief Encounter* (1945), Fi1m 90: For love complicated by established lives, with restraint replacing comic bustle. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/brief-encounter.md)
- *The Lunchbox* (2013), Fi1m 75: An unhurried romance that gives loneliness its proper weight. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lunchbox.md)
- *The Apartment* (1960), Fi1m 91: Romantic comedy with sharper social edges and equally important supporting players. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-apartment.md)
- *The Taste of Others* (2000): A drier ensemble comedy about attraction, awkwardness and misplaced certainty.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/somethings-gotta-give