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Legendary screen and stage actor Billy Crystal directs and stars in this charming dark comedy which is his first directorial offering since Forget Paris which was released over two decades ago.
Adapted by Crystal from a short story titled The Prize co-written with Alan Zweibel (It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, Late Show with David Letterman), Here Today also stars acclaimed Jewish actor and comedienne Tiffany Haddish (Girl’s Trip). with Penn Badgley, Laura Benanti, and Louisa Krause.
All is not well with Charlie Burnz (Crystal). Having been diagnosed with early onset dementia, the veteran comedy writer has kept his new medical status a secret from his nearest and dearest. Charlie’s life takes a turn for the unexpected when he meets vivacious competition winner Emma (a hilarious turn from the always brilliant Haddish) who has won a lunch date with the ailing writer at a charity auction — Charlie is dismayed to learn that the young woman bid a measly $22 for the pleasure of his company.
The pair quickly strike up an unlikely friendship when Emma becomes one of the only people beside Charlie’s doctor to pick up on his deteriorating state.
Meanwhile Charlie is struggling to keep up his familial duties which include remembering to attend his granddaughter’s batmitzvah — even recognising even his own children is hard.
This is without a doubt a charming and genuinely heartfelt story about a man’s descent into the unknown and the new friend who simply refuses to let him give up. Sure, there is a fair bit of whimsy and jarring dialogue, but Crystal is able to bring his usual New York Jewish self-deprecating style to an otherwise unoriginal story. He and Haddish bounce off one another rather brilliantly, even if their scenes together often descend into unnecessary slapstick and out-dated physical comedy.
Still, Crystal does what comes naturally, delivering a genuinely heartening and honest character study of man laughing his way through a devastating diagnosis. He has given us a film full of heart and plenty of laughter even if it doesn’t always come across as terribly original.
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