Now and Then

Rating:
Summary: For Always....Not Just Now and Then
Review: This is a great character film expanding the lives of four young girls from the good old 70's decade and stirring up a lot of old memories.

The film starts with the adult versions of the four girls played by Rosie O'Donnell, Melanie Griffith, Demi Moore and Rita Wilson as they come together for a reunion for the birth of Wilson's child. Not much has changed! O'Donnell has become a doctor, Griffith a movie star, Moore a writer and Wilson a pink and perky mother to be. This film allows us all to discover how these women came to be and it is actually pretty insightful. So sit back and take yourself on an "old school" journey back in time.

Soon enough this movie goes back in time to the early 70's when kids could ride bikes all over town, ice cream sodas were the rage, AM radios hung on every handlebar, laughter hung in the air and stories were meant to be told. The young O'Donnell is played by Christina Ricci, a tough tomboy growing up in a family of men because her mother was killed. Ricci is the strong one, the shoulder to cry on, the fighter who would rather play sports than sprout a couple of breasts. Griffith is portrayed as a young girl by Thora Birch and as a youth is fascinated early by sex, fake breasts and being an actress. Birch is the adventurer, the wandering heart and the heartbreaker of the group. Moore's child is played by Gaby Hoffman and she is the quiet, introspective and questioning young girl. Hoffman gets herself in all sorts of dilemmas stemming from the shame of divorced parents who act more like children than she does. Finally Wilson is played by Ashleigh Aston Moore, and of all the girls she remains steadfastly the same in adulthood as in youth, a simple, rather innocent girl surrounded by a perfectionist mother (played by Bonnie Hunt!) and an entire room of pink and lacy curtains.

The young girls are shown growing up and daring the world, finding where they all belong and how they are alike yet very different. The film brings back great memories of the time through the use of great music and ties to certain events that impacted the generation. The happiness and innocence of the decade is found on the country roads and soda shops as the girls plan their adventures. Silly crushes and fights with boys are inevitable along with all the challenges of growing up imperfect. All of the fun of childhood is represented here, the cemetery séances, tree-house meetings, excursions on bicycles, splashes in the river, sneaking out the bedroom window at night and childhood friendships that should last a lifetime. I found this film inspiring and insightful, but then I came from the same generation so I can totally relate. So I watch it every now and then for the sweetness and the memories of a great childhood.


Rating:
Summary: Now and Then
Review: The charm of this movie comes mostly from the "Then" part. It is the charm of the four young actresses (Christina Ricci acting as the young Roberta is my personal favorite but all four are great) that is able to give this movie a candid fresh feeling in spite of the somewhat corny cliched story which you feel you have already seen. Was it "stand by me" which had four friends, each with a different character type? No, that was about boys... Here as well we have a mystery as the girls are trying to solve the death of a young boy, and the outcome can be anticipated. The adult part - although equipped with a group of well-known actresses was not able to convince me (it is surprising to note that the casting of Rosie Odonnol as the adult Christina Ricci is very believable although funny at first sight). How is it that in the movies all the young people portrayed grow up to be really outstanding writers, actresses, doctors, etc.? What happened to all the ordinary people we all grew up to be? The adult part is a little too short and not too satisfying. I would have been interested to know what happened to these 4 women since that one summer we had a chance of seeing. The movie makes it seem as if their lives - or rather their friendship was somewhat stopped at the age of 12 and then continued at the adult stage. What happened since the age of 12? I mean, they did live next to each other...are there no memories from later, maybe more important stages of life? Were there no old grudges or new friends that interfered? Did they not prefer to have one intimate friend rather then a group?
I think that the movie could have been "full" with only the young, "then" part, however nice to watch as it is. I found the movie's special moments to be in the sincere intimate moments were only two of the four friends are seen conversing about more serious issues.

Rating:
Summary: NOW AND THEN
Review: We Rented this movie on video and it was good and is about the lasting friendship of women who have been friends since they were kids and stars some of the best actresses in Hollywood as the adult women and some of the best child stars who played their characters when they were 12 year old girls. I liked all of the actors but I especially liked Christina Ricci!