DVD Review: Here Today

Here Today
starring, directed by, and co-written by Billy Crystal (DVD Here)

I don’t remember seeing any commercials or previews for this one, before my wife snagged a copy from the new DVDs at the library. I’m glad she did, as this was a powerful and entertaining film about relationships, coping with dementia, and unlikely friendships.

 

Billy Crystal (who not only co-wrote this — with Alan Zweibel — and directed this) stars as Charlie Burnz, a legendary old Jewish TV comedy writer, whose fame extends back to the era of things like the Carol Burnett Show and other classic sitcoms and variety shows. He’s still on the writing staff for a weekly late night live comedy show (patterned after Saturday Night Live), but some of the younger writers there wonder if he still has any relevance, with his older comedy values.

 

Tiffany Haddish plays Emma Payge, a talented street musician coming out of a break-up with an ex-boyfriend. Her boyfriend had bid on, and won, a lunch with Charlie in a charity auction, and to spite the “ex”, Emma shows up for the lunch date. When the lunch date results in a trip to the emergency room for Emma, Charlie is dragged along, and the beginning of a bizarre yet refreshing friendship has started.

 

The performances of everyone in this entire cast are absolutely superb, especially the leads. Crystal plays Charlie, who is starting to slip into dementia, not as a pitiable character, but someone to be admired, as he recognizes the signs of his failing mental processes and does everything in his power to retain a semblance of his known life. And Emma’s rough-and-tumble streetwise characterization makes this odd-couple match-up very rewarding. But literally everyone else in the cast, from major supporting players to brief appearances, all feel “real”, and the film treats them as actual people and not fodder for cheap jokes.

 

Here Today is a sweet, sentimental and emotionally-charged movie, with moments of extreme hilarity and other moments of thoughtfulness. Ultimately it is one of my favorite comedies of the past few years. Highly recommended. And for those who’ve lived through the reality family members afflicted with Alzheimers, Parkinsons and other dementia-related conditions, this subject matter is covered with great caution and sensitivity.

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this film )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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