'Mack & Rita' review: Becoming Diane Keaton, in a bad movie

Who doesn’t love Diane Keaton? It’s not surprising then, that in the fantastical and fluffy comedy “Mack & Rita” — written by Madeline Walter and Paul Welsh, directed by Katie Aselton — a struggling young writer wishes to be as cool and confident as Keaton herself, or someone like her — as in, older. Unfortunately, the phone book would have made more sense than the screenplay for “Mack & Rita,” which ditches character establishment and clear conflict for fish-out-of-water physical comedy and some vaguely affirmative lessons about learning to be yourself, unapologetically. She’s meant to be Older Mack, but she’s just Diane Keaton delivering her signature adorably neurotic routine. There’s no consistency of character or performance between Lail and Keaton, and it always feels like we’re watching Mack AND Rita, not two versions of the same person.