Here Today

Wow....finally a movie that deserves a 10. The two leads were in spot on in their performances. I laughed, I cried, it is just the sweetest movie. Take noe Hollywood and Amazon...this is how you make a movie in 2021 !

It's nice to see Billy Crystal on the big screen again. This film is like spending two hours with an old friend. With that being said, the film is quite good in parts, but the sum parts don't add up to a great film. Crystal plays a comedy writer who is experiencing the beginning stages of dementia. He keeps this from his family and tries his best to hide it from everyone at work. Tiffany Haddish plays a woman who cashed in on an auction her ex boyfriend won to have lunch with the famous writer. This is despite not knowing who he is and ultimately insulting him frequently. She addresses him as "old man." To make matters worse, a food allergy lands her in the hospital and Crystal gets stuck with the bill. Oddly, a close friendship develops. Haddish's initial over the top characterization of this woman is ill conceived. We later learn that she is some sort of jazz subway singer. She eventually becomes the voice of reason for Crystal and a major player In his life. But through it all, she never quite becomes a cohesive believable character. Flashbacks are frequent as Crystal imagines his deceased wife. These are always awkward as the wife seems to be the exact same age in every flashback and Crystal's voice is only heard. The film has some touching moments and the relationship between Haddish and Crystal does evolve into a sweet friendship. But the schmaltzy moments between Crystal and his family toward the end detracted from their story. The film needed more focus as it tried to cover too much ground in 2 hours. This is a review so I'm nitpicking. Overall, I did enjoy the film and especially Billy Crystal's fine performance. I believe most audience members will too.

Ignore all the pseudo bored sophisticates who call this sentimental lovefest nonsense. It's a real look at what it means to be family and how we deal with the things we regret as we get older. Yes, some of it falls flat and yes, some of the family scenes seem to move a little too quickly. But it's well intentioned and worth a sit through.

You know who doesn't like this? Jaded critics who think an entertaining movie is mediocre because of things like pacing, or a minor plot hole and assume that such things ruin a good time. Go see it. Bring tissues.

Directed and co-written by Billy Crystal, thus we get his classic style of wit and delivery. Haddish has come into her own as an A-list comedian and here belting out several high energy songs. The film has a comedy troupe that has writers and performers working within a live sketch television show very much like SNL. Charlie is suffering with onset dementia having trouble remembering names, including his own kids, and is having difficulty writing a memoir of his deceased wife who is told in flashbacks. Some of the scenes are very funny, some mildly funny and some that just fall flat. The story turns serious and heart warming when he must confront his memories, his distant children and of course his relationship with Emma. We haven't seen much of Crystal of late, so if your a fan, its a nice little movie.

The movie is not for the general audience, nor is it a difficult movie. I loved Billy Crystal's idea of using New York as a theater stage. Because New York itself is in the lead role of the movie. I would buy the blu-ray edition of the movie for myself. I hope Billy Crystal directs more. We are in an age where we miss cinema (real motion pictures made for cinema).