By Christopher James
Branding is important. Craft a persona early enough, it can sustain you for a full career. Stallone and Schwarzenegger will remain action stars until they need rockers. DeNiro will be a gangster in every third rate mob movie known to man. Finally, Diane Keaton instantly conjures the vision of a kooky Grandma who loves Chardonnay.
Between Book Club and Poms, septuagenarian Keaton has once again found a way to lead movies packaged around her infectious star persona. Mack & Rita is the latest in this series. While it’s easily the shabbiest of the three, it’s not without its charms thanks to its Oscar-winning lead. Who wouldn’t want to jump to the point in their life where they could be Diane Keaton?
Raised by her spitfire Grandma, Mack (Elizabeth Lail) always saw herself as an old woman trapped in a young person’s body. She loves to stay in, wear vintage clothing and longs to just say how she’s feeling without regret. In actuality, most of these qualities fit half of the hipsters in Silverlake, but in the Los Angeles this movie takes place in, this supposedly makes smack a pariah. While on bachelorette party in Palm Springs for her best friend, Carla (Taylour Paige), Mack opts to do a past life regression session run by a grifter (Simon Rex) rather than attend a secret Bad Bunny concert taking place in a refrigerator behind Ralphs. She steps into the session as a 30 year old and exits a 70 year-old version of herself, played by Diane Keaton.
When our geriatric Mack makes her way back to Los Angeles, she’s at a loss of what to do or how to keep up her job as an Instagram influencer. In an effort to keep her disengaged agent (Patti Harrison, going full sketch comedy) happy, Mack attends an “all bodies do yoga” event. Her struggles to do yoga in the body of a 70 year old make her an Instagram sensation, so Mack brands her new alter ego as her “Aunt Rita.”
What should be the movie’s saving grace instead becomes a reminder of the film’s core flaw. In real life, Diane Keaton has an inspired and popular Instagram account, which features her acting kooky and wearing all sorts of crazy outfits. Her personal life is larger than life. By comparison, onscreen Rita feels less exciting than online Diane Keaton. Yes, the actress has great fun in the role attending influencer events throughout the movie. But none of the set pieces feel outlandish or inspired enough to be more fun than Keaton’s own personal feed.
While Rita’s relationship with Instagram may feel uninspired, there are thankfully other subplots that give Keaton a chance to shine. As a 30 year-old, Mack harbored a crush on her next door neighbor Jack (Schitt’s Creek’s Dustin Milligan), who frequently watches her dog Cheese. Jack takes a shine to Rita’s unapologetic nature and delightful kookiness. Just as soon as a friendship blossoms between the two, a romance develops. Even with a pronounced age gap, it’s funny how much chemistry Keaton and Milligan have, especially compared to the dry Elizabeth Lail as the younger Mack.
Still, Keaton and the movie feel most alive when it’s about a girl group, a la Book Club. At each of Carla’s wedding events, Rita hangs out with Carla’s mother, Sharon (Loretta Devine), and her Wine Club friends (Lois Smith, Wendie Malick, Amy Hill). All of their group scenes feature more verve and energy than any of the contrived plotty scenes or physical comedy montages. At the end of the day, we just want to watch old women sit around, talk shit, and drink wine. Who would've guessed?
If you build it, they will come. As long as they keep making Diane Keaton vehicles, I’ll be there. Keaton’s persona is still rich, lovable and unreplicable. Watching her sashay through Mack & Rita wearing the most Diane Keaton of outfits is a pure joy. No character is more entertaining than Diane Keaton herself, and future movies should trust that instinct. After all, she’s why we're showing up. C+
Mack & Rita opens Friday, August 12th in theaters. Are you going to see it?