As his first feature narrative Director Fabien Constant tries to envision a dramatic heartbreaking drama by writer/producer Laura Eason and fails to make eyes water. The disappointment isn’t from the actors or the cinematography, but the story itself. While there’s a good measure of drama and some romance, it’s easy to lose interest in the characters and the movie becomes a “matter of fact”.
Well known singer Vivienne Cahala (Sarah Jessica Parker) gets terrible news that she has a brain tumor that’s been giving her headaches and she doesn’t have long to live. Even though it may be operable, chances are she will lose motor function, language skills and her singing ability. She is told that she must return the next morning with someone as the final testing may leave her upset due to the procedure.
Distraught over the news and trying to come to grips with what had just happened, she continues her day wandering New York City, going to rehearsal, meeting up with friends, guest singing at a nightclub and visiting her daughter who lives with her ex-husband. Director Constant interacts several characters including her lover, manager, and others as she looks for a way to tell friends and loved ones about her plight and to chose someone that will be her companion for the next morning.
Parker does a good job of acting with the limp script, but it’s not good enough to save the film from no more than a boring soap opera. It’s wonderful seeing her in movies since she’s been on TV’s “Divorce” from 2016 to present, and I do like the liveliness she brings to Vivienne. But, it’s hard to break the “Sex and the City” mold when New York has to be the backdrop, lovers are bedding her and old friends ask her to belly up to the bar.
Special Bonus Feature: “A Diagnosis of Story” (20 min.) Director Fabien Constant and writer/producer Laura Eason, Sarah Jessica Parker, Common and other cast and crew talk about the film with subjects that include locations to Vivienne’s illness.
Here and Now has been rated R by the MPAA for language and sexuality. Now Available on DVD.
FINAL ANALYSIS: For women who may want a ¼ dose of S&TC. (2 out of 5 Stars)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Renee Zwellweger, Simon Baker, Common, Taylor Kinney, Jacqueline Bisset, Michael Potts, Gus Birney
Director: Fabien Constant
Writer: Laura Eason
MPAA Rating: R for language and sexuality. also scenes of smoking
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Running Time: 1 hr. 31 min.
Video Release Date: January 22, 2019
Original Theatrical Release Date: November 9, 2019
Language: English (also English Audio Description)
Reviewed Format: DVD
Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1, English Audio Description
Video: Widescreen, 16×9 TV’s
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
Number of Discs: 1 disc
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Released in: DVD
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
