AND SO IT GOES
An autumn romance with family lessons, but too much adult content.
Should You Watch It?
And So It Goes offers a warm, sometimes funny story about a grieving widower whose estranged family forces him to open his heart again. Its strongest qualities are its themes of sacrifice, forgiveness, and positive family relationships. The acting is very good, and Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton bring an appealing autumn-romance charm.
The movie is also predictable, and its most compelling material may be the father, son, and granddaughter relationships rather than the romance. More importantly, frequent profanity, crass sexual discussions, and a brief fornication scene make it unsuitable for children and young teens.
If you are an adult drawn to uplifting family themes and can accept the mature content, watch it at home, where you can control the experience.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESOren Little is a hard-nosed, widowed realtor living alone while he waits to sell his house and retire. His plans change when his estranged son leaves Oren’s young granddaughter, Sarah, in his care before going to prison.
Oren initially wants to escape this responsibility. But his charming neighbor Leah helps care for Sarah, and the child gradually draws Oren out of his grief and isolation. Together, they give Oren a chance to repair broken family ties and discover an unexpected second chance at love.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means this is a pleasant, watchable film with real emotional appeal, though it falls well short of director Rob Reiner’s best work. The acting is very good, and the humor keeps the audience’s attention. Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton make a natural pairing, especially for viewers who remember movies from an earlier era.
The central transformation is touching, and the themes of forgiveness, sacrifice, and family give the movie an uplifting foundation. Still, the story is not original and is sometimes excruciatingly predictable. The film may also have been stronger had it focused more on the father, son, and granddaughter relationships.
The Worldview
The film presents a strong moral worldview in which characters sacrifice their own desires for others. It values forgiveness, family relationships, emotional healing, and the willingness to love again after loss. Oren’s guarded heart opens through caring for his granddaughter and reconnecting with family.
There are minor Christian elements, including brief mentions of prayer, a reference to the “miracle of life,” and a positive portrayal of Duck Dynasty. However, the movie also includes a whimsical reference to butterflies carrying a wish to “the great spirit.” The relationship between the two main characters begins primarily as carnal, which weakens the film’s otherwise positive moral direction.
The movie’s longing for repaired relationships and renewed love connects with Scripture’s call to forgive one another: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong moral worldview where characters sacrifice their own desires for others, minor Christian elements are seen in brief mentions of prayer, a reference to the “miracle of life” and DUCK DYNASTY is portrayed in a positive light, marred by light false pagan elements in a whimsical reference to butterflies carrying a wish to “the great spirit” and the fact that a relationship between the two main characters starts out as mainly carnal; at least 32 obscenities and profanities, plus other crass language includes references to oral sex; light slapstick violence includes a man slipping and a dog being shot with a paintball; moderate sexual content includes candid conversation about sex, a post-fornication scene where the characters are seen partially clothed from the shoulders up, a dog violates a teddy bear, a reference is made to self-abuse; upper male nudity, lower male exposure is discussed but not depicted, and a woman in the background is seen walking around only in her underwear; alcohol is often consumed by the main character, and, before retiring to sleep with another character, a character chugs a bottle of wine; an old woman smokes constantly, a main character’s son is a recovering drug addict, a character’s estranged mother is also a drug addict; and, the main character is a notorious racist, a druggie talks about stealing to finance his addiction, and a man is very uncomfortable about a woman giving birth on his couch, but the whole process is discussed very candidly.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Oren initially resists caring for Sarah. What can sacrifice for family look like when it disrupts our plans?
Philippians 2:3–4 · 1 John 3:16–18Oren must face old family wounds and consider forgiveness. What does biblical forgiveness require, and what does it not require?
Ephesians 4:31–32 · Colossians 3:12–13The movie connects family healing with learning to love again. How can grief close our hearts, and how can God meet us there?
Psalm 34:18 · Romans 12:15The film includes brief references to prayer and the “miracle of life.” How should Christians respond when a movie gestures toward spiritual truth without presenting the gospel fully?
Acts 17:22–31 · 1 Thessalonians 5:21The Final Word
And So It Goes has good acting, humor, and an appealing message about forgiveness, sacrifice, and family. But its predictability and mature sexual content make it unsuitable for children and young teens. Watch it at home only if you are an adult prepared to exercise discernment. WAIT FOR HOME — ADULTS ONLY. For family movie night, see.
