With the hilarious romantic comedy Something's Gotta Give, Diane Keaton gives her best performance since her Oscar turn in Annie Hall.

In the intervening 25 years, Keaton has given stellar dramatic performances in Reds, Marvin's Room and in The Godfather trilogy, but it is her flair for comedy that makes her one of the finest actors of her generation.

Writer and director Nancy Meyers crafted the role of Erica Barry for Keaton and it fits her like the leather gloves and turtle neck sweaters that have become Keaton's fashion trademarks.

Erica is a successful, divorced, middle-aged playwright who knew great passion and great love but has given up on both.

She's devoted herself to her plays, friends and daughter Marin (Amanda Peet).

It's through her vivacious, flirtatious daughter that Erica meets millionaire playboy Harry Sanborn.

Harry is everything Erica hates in a man. He's an aged Casanova with an ego to match his bank account.

Erica is someone Harry has never looked for in a lover. She's a woman his own age.

Harry's women have gotten younger as he has gotten older.

From the moment they lock eyes and witticisms, it's obvious the uptight matron and the slick Lothario are reluctantly going to fall under each other's spells.

The magic of Meyers' writing is just how she gets Erica and Harry from viperous adversaries to smitten lovers.

It all has something to do with Viagra, heart attacks, accidentally spying each other naked and a realization that good talk is almost as satisfying as good sex.

Because this is a romantic comedy, Meyers also has to find ways to interrupt Harry and Erica's new-found bliss and this involves Julius Mercer (Keanu Reeves), a young doctor who falls in love with Erica just as he has already fallen in love with her plays.

The classic romantic comedies of the '30s, '40s and '50s always boasted strong supporting performances and that's what Peet and Reeves deliver here.

Peet is vivacious and she's no victim. She considers Harry as much a conquest as he does her.

Reeves has seldom been better.He's warm, charming, sincere and a true gentleman. It's to Reeves' credit that audiences feel Erica has found herself in a genuine dilemma.

Nicholson is a treasure. Like great wine he just keeps getting better with age. Granted he's playing a thinly-veiled version of himself but he's hilarious and disarming at every turn.

He says more with a single look than most actors do with pages of dialogue.

After Harry's heart attack, Mercer tells him he can only consider having sex when he masters running up stairs.

Just watch the look Nicholson gives each flight of stairs he passes for the next 20 minutes of the film.

Something's Gotta Give is a holiday valentine to the power and joy of late blooming love.

(This film is rated PG)

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