movie minute

Said It First: Diane Keaton's new comedy, Because I Said So (PG-13), is a trite and predictable movie that offers few laughs. Keaton plays Daphne Wilder, a woman who is about to turn 60 who sees it as her personal mission to make sure all three of her daughters marry normal, substantive men. Some would call it meddling, Daphne calls it mothering. She's determined to break daughter Milly's streak of bad luck when it comes to men. What's a mother to do? Well, set up a personal ad looking for Mr. Right for her daughter, of course. Milly is played by doe-eyed and sometime pop singer Mandy Moore. When Daphne finds Mr. Right for her daughter, in the form of architect Jason (Tom Everett Scott) another bloke enters the picture in the form of musician Johnny (Gabriel Macht). This all comes on the heels of Milly proclaiming that she is done with men; lo and behold the men don't seem to be done with her.

Keaton is again playing a variation on her Annie Hall character and her Daphne is very similar to Erica, the woman she played in Something's Gotta Give. The only difference is here she is shrill, overbearing, uptight and thick headed and not in a good way. Watching her is like watching long fingernails clawing their way down a chalkboard. Having said that, I truly think Keaton is talented but this character I didn't like very much at all. Besides this is a role that Keaton can do in her sleep. Likewise, cute and perky Milly is a role Moore could do in HER sleep.

The movie is directed by Michael Lehmann (40 Days And 40 Nights, The Truth About Cats & Dogs, Heathers) and really is nothing we haven't seen before; except this particular cast in a movie together. The movie also stars Stephen Collins, Lauren Graham and Piper Perabo. The standout here is Macht whose Johnny is sensitive and down to earth. He reminds me of a young Johnny Depp; only better looking.

If you are in the mood for fun, yes, the movie is fun but predictable then this is your movie.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 2.5

paul