Because I Said So

Diane Keaton has experienced career resurgence as of late, but Because I Said So slams the brakes on the comeback train, throws that sucker into reverse and backs up into a lake of raw sewage. In films like Something’s Gotta Give and, to a lesser extent, The Family Stone, directors managed to mine that goofy Keaton charm without overdoing it. Her comic, “zany” side was just a part of the performances rather than being the dominant factor. With Because I Said So, a dopey romantic comedy, it’s as if director Michael Lehmann kept shouting “Give me that kooky Keaton charm!” on the set, and Keaton just kept spewing it out to the point of overkill. The film plays as if somebody managed to isolate the zany part of Keaton’s persona, put it in a box and persuade Satan to vomit on it. It is Hell to watch.