Review: Mack & Rita

When 30-year-old Mack Martin reluctantly joins a Palm Springs, Calif., bachelorette trip for her best friend Carla, her inner 70-year-old gets released -- literally. The frustrated writer and influencer magically transforms into her future self: aunt Rita. Freed from the constraints of other people's expectations, Rita comes into her own, becoming an unlikely social media sensation and sparking a tentative romance with Mack's adorable dog-sitter, Jack.

Diane Keaton, Elizabeth Lail, Dustin Milligan, Taylour Paige, Simon Rex

‘Mack & Rita’ is an empty husk of what could’ve been an interesting and fun film. Diane Keaton’s talents aren’t worthy of this horrible script that wastes the creative potential surrounding old age and retirement.

I believe that both Elizabeth Lail and Diane Keaton are both great actors, having recently seen Lail in the first season of ‘You’, and obviously Keaton has a vast body of work behind her to be applauded. Unfortunately I believe both of them were not used to their fullest capabilities in this film, trying to do anything they can with this abysmal script, but coming off as phoning it in onscreen.

Elizabeth Lail plays Mack Martin, a relentlessly awkward thirty year old woman, author, and self profound “old woman in a little girl’s body”. After coming across a “spiritual regression pod” in LA, she transforms into an old woman, just like she has always felt she is deep inside.

Diane Keaton plays Mack’s older self, who takes on the name Rita in order to not confuse those who wouldn’t understand her unique situation. Keaton is fine in the film, she tries to be funny, but there really isn’t much of anything for her to work with. That being said, she’s probably one of the best parts of the film, which sadly isn’t saying much in this case.

There’s a really odd subplot revolving around Dustin Milligan’s character, Jack, seemingly falling in love with the older Mack. It’s really weird to watch unfold as you’re watching it, it’s not as “cute” as it was probably intended to be. Instead it just comes off as weird and uncomfortable.

If there’s any representation we don’t need more of in Hollywood, it’s LA girls. Let that be a red flag to you anytime you watch a film. I don’t know how many times I can keep watching this “valley girl” trope anymore.

Surprisingly Simon Rex is probably my favorite part of this movie. He’s not in it much, but the scenes he’s in are genuinely funny due to Rex’s fantastic line delivery. He kills it in everything he’s in.

This is an empty film, that probably should’ve gotten a streaming release. I wouldn’t waste your time with this one, instead check out some of Lail and Keaton’s better work.