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Four brilliant, accomplished, gorgeous female actors play four friends who take a bachelorette trip to Italy in this dumb, dull, dud of a waste of their time and ours. I’ll bet the actors had a lot more fun when they were just hanging out between scenes than anyone will in watching the movie. In one brief scene, the characters visit some of Italy's magnificent ancient Roman statues, and all the script gives them to say are middle school-level dick jokes. What those characters do to those classic works of art is what the script does to the women who play them. Both deserve much, much better. And boy, so do we. 

Like Smurfs, each character gets just one attribute. The male characters all get the same one: unconditional adoration of the fabulous creature to whom they are lucky enough to be able to devote their full time and attention because they have no other interests, wishes, obligations, or, indeed, reasons to exist except to be Perfect Boyfriend (PB). It’s a dumbed-down, glammed-up “Golden Girls.”

Once again, Jane Fonda plays the free-spirited, sex-positive hotel executive, Blanche, I mean Samantha, I mean Vivian. Her PB is Arthur ( Don Johnson ). Candice Bergen is the now-retired judge. Diane Keaton is the, oh, I don't know, they just had Diane Keaton play her dithery fallback persona, the one who loves wide belts, crinolines, and polka dots. Her PB is Mitchell ( Andy Garcia ), the man she met in the last movie. Mary Steenburgen is Carol. She is happily married to Bruce ( Craig T. Nelson ), but he is recovering from a heart attack, and she is worried and perhaps over-protective. 

Oh, boy, pandemic humor! If you think that means shots of Zoom calls with people trying to understand the mute button and turn off the filter, you are right. If you think that's fresh or funny, you might enjoy this movie. Maybe. There are also useless pandemic-era activities like a new pet and a new musical instrument intended to be charming or funny. They are neither. The last movie’s cute elevator pitch was, “A bunch of old but sexy ladies read  50 Shades of Gray .” They jettison the concept of an actual book club this time, but apparently, they all read Paulo Coelho’s  The Alchemist . Instead of snickering jokes about bondage, there are woo-woo references to destiny.

Viv's PB impulsively proposes to her, and the woman who never wanted to get married suddenly finds herself engaged. The friends decide to celebrate with a trip to Italy before the wedding. If you think this means a shot of them walking toward us in slow-motion like a cutesy version of " The Right Stuff " and the dozens, possibly hundreds, of movies that have imitated that shot ever since, you are right. If you think that's adorable, you might enjoy this film. Maybe.

In one of the world's most beautiful countries with some of the world's most legendary historic art and architecture, the women get up to all kinds of silly hijinks that could just as easily happen at home. A mis-sent photo might be misinterpreted! Oh, no! They get thrown in jail. They get thrown in jail again! Same sheriff ( Giancarlo Giannini , slumming)! How funny is that? Not!

Co-written by director Bill Holderman and Erin Simms , the film even fails the Bechdel test. These characters have almost nothing to say to each other except for how much they love (1) each other and (2) men. Plus, a few "jokes" about getting older. 

And there's a finding a bridal gown scene. If you think that means a montage where, " Friends "-style, everyone gets to try on dresses, you're right. If you think it's funny, maybe you'll enjoy this movie. If you think there are "life is what you make it" comments, a farewell to a late husband, and a last-minute switch that makes no sense whatsoever, you're right. But you’ll be better off with “ 80 for Brady .”

In theaters on Friday, May 12. 

Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com.

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Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023)

Rated PG-13 for some strong language and suggestive material.

108 minutes

Diane Keaton as Diane

Jane Fonda as Vivian

Candice Bergen as Sharon

Mary Steenburgen as Carol

Andy García as Mitchell

Craig T. Nelson as Bruce

Don Johnson as Arthur

• Bill Holderman

Cinematographer

• Andrew Dunn
• Doc Crotzer

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‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ Review: You’re Going to Need a Lot of Wine to Enjoy This Sloppy Sequel

Kate erbland, editorial director.

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In 2018, when Bill Holderman’s directorial debut “Book Club” first hit the big screen , this writer wondered — not entirely facetiously — how high the amiable comedy’s white wine budget must have been. After all, most of the action of the star-studded feature unfolded in cozy living rooms and swanky hotels (read: sets on top of sets), with many of these locales being positively sloshed on, over, and under with light libations.

Blindingly overlit, incoherently edited, and rife with baffling plot contrivances, the disappointing “Book Club: The Next Chapter” still manages to maintain the heart of its original story, but that only seems to be thanks to the chemistry of its central foursome. Predictable entanglements and uninspired gags — stolen luggage, leering at iconic statues of naked people, mistaking an attractive man in uniform for a stripper, the whole dumb American tourist gamut, really — are interspersed with genuinely moving and valuable insights into what it means to grow older, especially as a woman.

All of these women are sharp, desirable, endearing, complicated, funny, sexy, smart, and messy. Their bond is strong, their lives are not over, and some of the lessons they are forced to learn hold actual resonance beyond the big screen. It’s too bad then that so much of what we  see  on the big screen detracts from the story and characters at its heart.

When they’re finally reunited — a stilted affair that feels oddly bloodless — they’re juiced up on “reading the signs” and dealing with troublesome fate (they did just finish “The Alchemist,” after all)  and  the revelation that the perpetually single-and-loving-it Vivian (Fonda) is engaged to her paramour from the first film (returning co-star Don Johnson, as Arthur). Resident planner Carol (Steenburgen, effervescent as ever) is still reeling from the loss of her restaurant and a scary heart attack that almost took her cute husband Bruce (Craig T. Nelson), and she’s got an idea, dammit: The foursome will take the trip to Italy they dreamed of decades ago, long before real life got in the way.

Everyone reacts differently. Vivian doesn’t want to upset Arthur. Diane (Keaton) is terrified of leaving her neatly arranged life (including her own boyfriend, Andy Garcia, back as Mitchell). Sharon (Bergen) can’t leave behind her cat, goddammit. Soon enough, fate (sorry) aligns to convince the ladies they need to go, and  now.  As they bounce between cities (weirdly, the whole aim of the trip is to go to Tuscany, though the foursome soon engages in repeated demands to mix up the itinerary, padding out an already too-long feature), they have tons of fun and  reckon with their own mortality. More Prosecco, please!

As the journey at hand finally finds some semblance of direction — albeit one most viewers will see coming from a mile off — the charms ramp up. These are characters we want to see happy, fulfilled, and having fun. The conclusion of “Book Club: The Next Chapter” provides that. But most of the pages leading up to it? They need another draft. Wine might help, too.

Focus Features will release “Book Club: The Next Chapter” in theaters on Friday, May 12.

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‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ Review: Friendship, Food, and Fun Unite a Fierce Foursome

The film stars icons Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen, Candice Bergen, and Diane Keaton.

Five years and one pandemic after Book Club introduced audiences to the heartfelt and hilarious story of four women reconnecting and reinventing their lives while drinking wine and reading Fifty Shades of Grey together, Book Club: The Next Chapter sends that fiercely funny foursome on a new adventure to Italy. The Next Chapter could’ve easily side-stepped the last four years, but instead, it embraces the unique challenges the pandemic posed. It’s not the first “post-pandemic” film to pull from the friend groups rallying behind Zoom to keep sane— Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery most recently tapped into this phenomenon —but it is the first to play up the hilarity of watching an older demographic try to figure it all out together.

When we reunite with Vivian ( Jane Fonda ), Carol ( Mary Steenburgen ), Sharon ( Candice Bergen ), and Diane ( Diane Keaton ) very little has changed with who they are as people and friends, but each one of them has faced a life-changing situation, ranging from retirement to engagement, to pet loss and heart attacks. Of course, it’s the engagement that really steers the direction of the sequel, as commitment-phobe Vivian and Arthur ( Don Johnson ) decide to finally tie the knot, prompting the four women to jet off to Italy for the girl’s trip slash bachelorette party of their dreams.

While Vivan and Arthur step into a new phase in their relationship, The Next Chapter does ultimately retread familiar story beats from the first film, particularly with Vivan’s reluctance to give up her freedom. They may be in a committed relationship, but there are clear sticking points for her which Arthur ultimately does accept, just as he did in Book Club . It’s not exactly to the detriment of the script, but it is familiar in the sense that Vivan has passed a point where she’s open or willing to change her relationship boundaries. Despite the fact that Vivan’s story is very much the driving force of the film, it’s actually Carol’s story that proves to be a stand-out, anchored by a very honest performance by Steenburgen.

RELATED: The Ladies of 'Book Club: The Next Chapter' Flaunt Their Style in New Character Posters

In the time between the two films, Carol and her husband Bruce ( Craig T. Nelson ) have faced a number of setbacks. First, her beloved restaurant, like so many in real-life, was forced to close due to the strain of pandemic closures and economic turmoil, and then Bruce spent some time in the hospital due to a heart attack that very nearly killed him. Carol has a tight grip on her emotions and an even tighter grip on Bruce, which puts a noticeable strain on their relationship. That strain is further compounded by a chance encounter with an old cooking school flame, which pushes Carol to reassess several aspects of her life.

Even if the film weren’t set in Italy, relationships and romance are the lifeblood of both Book Club films, but even more so in The Next Chapter . While Vivan wars with her conflicting feelings about marriage and Carol faces her fears, Sharon finds herself swept up in a whirlwind romance with the charming Hugh Quarshie , who helps all of them embrace Italy in new ways, and Diane is forced to let go of her past and look toward her future with Mitchell ( Andy Garcia ). It’s very entertaining to see how each of the women tackle these relatable life experiences—with humor and not always grace. The Next Chapter may tie things up in a perfect bow by the end, but there’s still a healthy dose of imperfection which makes each character endlessly endearing.

The Book Club universe scratches the same itch that series like Grace and Frankie or films like Moving On or 80 For Brady do—and not just because they all feature unforgettable performances from Jane Fonda. Not only is female friendship the heart and soul of these titles, but they all make a point of saying that women over sixty can still be hot, sexy, and the makers of their own destinies. Too often on screen, and unfortunately in real life too, women reach a certain age and find themselves relegated to the title of “mom” or “grandmother,” and completely stripped of the idea that they can be sexy. While men over forty are still headlining in action-hero roles and wooing their much younger female love interests, women over forty are vanishing from the screen at an alarming rate . Book Club: The Next Chapter may be nothing more than feel-good matinée fodder to most, but for women—of all ages—it’s a little beacon of light in the dark.

Bill Holderman and Erin Simms ’ script is oftentimes rather predictable in the way it sets up each plot point, but it never fails to entertain. There are moments that illicit quiet chuckling and full-body laughter, sometimes within the same scene! The drama is quite mild, leaning on situational conflict rather than interpersonal conflict, and the resolutions are always sweet. Their writing caters to each actress’ strengths, allowing their comedic timing and chemistry to flow naturally. A film like The Next Chapter isn’t supposed to be earth-shattering, it’s meant to entertain and it does tenfold.

Book Club: The Next Chapter is a raucously funny movie that will leave audiences ready to grab their gal pals and set off on an adventure to Italy. If they can’t swing the trip, they’ll be grabbing them to see this film again. From the stunning locations to the gorgeous clothes (that are tragically too expensive for most people to shop the look for) the film delivers on a good time.

Book Club: The Next Chapter arrives in theaters on May 12.

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Book Club review – golden years love descends into innuendo

A story of female bibliophiles rediscovering their mojos, is, ironically, let down by the writing

T here’s an argument to be made that any Hollywood film that acknowledges older women as sexual beings is a good thing. You could extend that argument to take in the fact that, since the industry routinely drapes the likes of Robert De Niro and Morgan Freeman with Vegas totty in the name of entertainment, surely Diane Keaton and Jane Fonda getting in on the action is only fair.

But just as Hollywood insists that its older actresses conform to the body standards of women many decades younger – with their doggedly aerobicised bodies and chipmunk cheeks, Fonda and co look incredible, but unlike most women north of 70 – so the movie industry crowbars this collection of formidable acting talent into the same kind of screamingly obvious romcom premise that female actors of every age group have to endure.

Diane (Keaton), Vivian (Fonda), Sharon (Candice Bergen) and Carol (Mary Steenburgen) are lifelong friends who have discussed books and quaffed wine every month since the late 1960s. Then one of them suggests Fifty Shades of Grey (sound the product placement klaxon, and basically keep sounding it for the entire film) and the women collectively get their mojos back. It’s not so much the reductive message that the path to happiness must be walked alongside a man; more that the writing is wincingly awful. The script leans so heavily on innuendo that you almost forgive the smirking, coffee-shop-jazz score because it at least drowns out some of the tittering.

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Book Club: The Next Chapter Review

Here’s another of the surprisingly robust mini-genre of comedies where Jane Fonda and friends take a trip. Following  80 For Brady , another quartet sets out to prove that there's life and love after 70 – and quite a lot of limoncello too. Sharper and funnier than 2018's original  Book Club , this manages to vaguely entertain despite hitting clichés harder and more frequently than any septuagenarian should dare.

Plot wise, imagine a jaunty "It’s always wine o'clock" sign — these ladies barely manage a scene without a glass in hand — and you’re about there. Following a weirdly charming pandemic montage, we learn that perennial man-eater Vivian (Fonda) is now engaged to Arthur ( Don Johnson ). To celebrate, her book club friends – mousy Diane ( Diane Keaton ), cheery Carol ( Mary Steenburgen ) and cynical Sharon ( Candice Bergen ) – plan a trip to Italy. Following some extremely gentle obstacles, everyone works through their issues and emerges happier on the other side.

The plot unrolls inexorably towards a happy ending with barely a bend in the road.

The leads are all deeply accomplished performers, capable of delivering stories far worse than this with conviction, so they just about carry the nonsense along. They're helped by the charisma of their love interests, including Johnson, Andy Garcia , Craig T. Nelson and now Hugh Quarshie. The men are younger, on average, than their leading ladies, and playing barely two-dimensional roles. Then again, four actresses who worked through the 70s and 80s have earned a little turnabout.

With a few good zingers about classical nudes and a lot less  Fifty Shades  chat this time, it’s a significant improvement from returning director Bill Holderman . The plot unrolls inexorably towards a happy ending with barely a bend in the road, though occasionally someone will accidentally say something true, or the script will provide something toothy for its stars, and it will sing for a moment. Just a moment, though: this is essential viewing only if you’re  really  desperate for a Tuscan getaway, or deathly allergic to surprises.

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‘book club: the next chapter’ review: diane keaton and jane fonda in an affectionate but strained romp.

The sequel to the 2018 hit comedy reunites the two stars with Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen on a bachelorette trip to Italy.

By Sheri Linden

Sheri Linden

Senior Copy Editor/Film Critic

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Signed, sealed and delivered, Book Club: The Next Chapter is an unabashed love letter to four great movie stars. As a vehicle for their talents, it’s less of a sure thing. If you can see past the clunky plot contrivances, strained hijinks and one-liners that don’t land, and focus on the Italy-set comedy’s Mediterranean glow and the dazzling quartet of go-getters at its center, the movie might fit the bill as a celebratory pairing with Mother’s Day brunch.

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Kicking things off with Tom Petty’s infectious and pointed “American Girl,” Holderman sets a buoyant mood that’s quickly deflated by six pre-title minutes of the clique’s pandemic Zooming. As the world reopens, they agree, after some give-and-take, to revive a long-shelved plan for a vacation in Italy, one that turns into a bachelorette getaway for Fonda’s Vivian, who surprises no one more than herself when she becomes engaged to Arthur (Don Johnson), the long-ago boyfriend she rediscovered in the previous installment. The high-powered, commitment-averse hotelier has been enjoying a New York penthouse lifestyle with him, while Keaton’s widowed Diane is living the New Mexico dream with pilot Mitchell (Andy Garcia). With their understated supporting turns, Johnson and Garcia provide a welcome antidote to all the over-enunciated exuberance.

The four longtime friends have moved on from the Fifty Shades trilogy — which, five years ago, jump-started their lives on the romance and sex fronts — to the pop mysticism of Paulo Coelho’s self-help fable The Alchemist. Its advice to embrace serendipity and not submit to fate as a victim is the unsubtle guiding principle as these superachiever American girls, in their 70s and 80s, embark on their Italian adventure. They take their moveable feast of comfort and luxury and endless long-stemmed glasses of wine to Rome and Tuscany, with an impromptu detour to Venice. There are landmarks and selfies, gelato and prosecco, and double entendres so broad they might qualify as quadruples. Serendipity arrives in the form of sparks between Sharon and Ousmane (Hugh Quarshie), a life-loving retired professor of philosophy, and Carol reignites a culinary flame with Gianni (Vincent Riotta), a fellow chef she once loved.

Emphasizing that Book Club is about the performers more than the characters, Holderman interrupts the travelogue for an all-out lovefest sequence in an opulent bridal salon, where Fonda’s bride-to-be and her three besties all get to flaunt their magnificent selves in a fashion show of gowns. Stefano De Nardis’ costumes shower the actors with affection — in Keaton’s case especially, paying tribute to her distinctive fashion profile.

In the midst of one evening’s festivities, product placement for a brand of liqueur is so conspicuous, the bottle’s label so precisely positioned before the camera, that it might as well have been accompanied by a jingle. As to the film’s song soundtrack, after the promise of Petty, it lapses into a less-than-commanding mix of vintage pop. A party scene featuring a new rendition of the rousing international hit “Gloria,” led by Quarshie and Steenburgen, could have been a blast if Holderman didn’t remind the audience at every awkward turn just what a blast all the characters are having.

Sustaining the thin narrative was not the top priority, it seems; The Next Chapter moves in and out of a sense of emotional connection. When it does indulge in straight-up sentiment, the results, however obvious, are a welcome break from the half-baked shenanigans. A scene between Keaton and Fonda is affecting precisely because it’s A Scene Between Keaton and Fonda.

Hell yes, Hollywood needs more movies about female friendship, and it needs more movies that place older women front and center. Watching this one, it’s easy to kvell over the signature silhouettes and screen essences of four extraordinary performers: Keaton’s deft-clumsy openness, Fonda’s ineffable elegance and strength, Bergen’s unparalleled timing and stinging wit, and Steenburgen’s graceful ebullience. Actresses in earlier eras didn’t have the chance to do what they’re doing here. If only they were doing it in a better movie.

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Review: If you could take a movie to the beach, ‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ might be it

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It seems like everyone’s going to Italy these days. Thanks to a strong dollar and pandemic-induced wanderlust, it’s not just influencers, old friends and exes filling up their Instagram feeds with gelato and pasta. Season 3 of “Succession” went to Tuscany for a wedding, “The White Lotus’” second season checked in for a stay in Sicily, while Toni Collette landed in Rome to become the “Mafia Mamma.” And now the “Book Club” gals — Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen, Diane Keaton and Candice Bergen — take off for a wine-soaked adventure off the page in the fluffy and fantastical “Book Club: The Next Chapter.”

Directed by Bill Holderman, written by Holderman and Erin Simms, this sequel is even more of a heightened fantasy than its 2018 predecessor. It will require tossing aside every scrap of disbelief and grabbing onto a glass of prosecco instead, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t also be a touching story about the importance of lifelong friendships. When Vivian (Fonda) grasps her girls in a group hug and declares them her “soul mates,” it’s hard not to be at least a little bit moved by their bond, a lively balance of pleasure-seeking, hapless adventure and a healthy dose of tough love.

In the first film , the gals got their groove back thanks to “Fifty Shades of Grey.” “The Next Chapter” finds the quartet forging a new path forward with Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist,” looking for signs that ultimately lead them to Italy under the auspices of a bachelorette party for Vivian, who is now engaged to Arthur (Don Johnson).

The sequel stumbles a bit at the outset with a 2020-set preamble featuring tired pandemic material about Zoom happy hours as the book club goes virtual; the machinations to get them to Italy are so tortured that as an audience, we often feel ahead of the characters. It’s not until they arrive in Venice from Rome, rattled by the theft of their suitcases, that we fall into step with them. The ladies shake loose their uptight Brentwood sensibilities for the Italian way of life, follow the signs like Coelho’s protagonist, and a spontaneous drink with a handsome stranger, Ousmane (Hugh Quarshie), leads to a serendipitous dinner party and a visitor from the past.

No slowing down — or retirement — for ‘Book Club’ stars Fonda, Bergen and Steenburgen

‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ stars Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen. And none of them plan to retire from acting anytime soon.

May 8, 2023

Shot on location in Italy, the film offers some travelogue appeal, though it retains the aesthetic of a carefully lit studio backlot. The characters are also essentially riffs on these legendary performers’ personas — it’s not exactly transformative acting here.

But once again, Bergen proves to be the MVP as salty, sarcastic retired judge Sharon. She’s the very necessary hit of acid needed to make this confection palatable, the spritz of lemon on a plate of fritto misto, cutting through the fat. Going with the Italian wine theme — these ladies like to drink a lot of it — Sharon is a dry, full-bodied Montepulciano (she may be sardonic, but she is still sexy). Fonda’s Vivian is a crisp, bubbly prosecco, chef Carol (Steenburgen) a velvety Chianti, perfect for pairing with food, while Diane (Keaton) is a cool, sweet Pinot Grigio. To continue the food metaphors, the story itself is so easily digestible that it calls to mind polenta: warm, comforting, not too challenging, a little cheesy.

This is a film that wants to have it all, to celebrate the women who take the nontraditional path but still end in a white wedding, to offer a portrait of feminine sexuality of a certain age but remain couched in heterosexual monogamy. There are some inherent contradictions in what it wants to hold as true, but it’s also honest in that it offers a space for those truths to coexist. Holderman and Simms’ script navigates those moments capably enough.

Ultimately, “Book Club: The Next Chapter” is about finding balance: between reading the signs and controlling your own narrative, between taking a leap of faith and putting in the hard work. Most importantly, it’s about putting your own desires first and having the bravery to take the reins, whether that means marriage or a rendezvous in a canal with a handsome professor of philosophy. Either or both can be the right choice. It may be treacly and unrealistic, but “Book Club: The Next Chapter” has heart and soul, and it’s as sweet and quaffable as an Aperol spritz on a hot day.

Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

'Book Club: The Next Chapter'

Rated: PG-13, for some strong language and suggestive material Running time: 1 hour, 47 minutes Playing: Starts May 12 in general release

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Book Club: The Next Chapter

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In Theaters

• May 12, 2023
• Jane Fonda as Vivian; Diane Keaton as Diane; Mary Steenburgen as Carol; Candice Bergen as Sharon; Andy Garcia as Mitchell; Don Johnson as Arthur; Craig T. Nelson as Bruce; Giampiero Judica as Donato

Home Release Date

• May 30, 2023
• Bill Holderman

Distributor

• Focus Features

Movie Review

A lot has happened since the events of the first Book Club movie—and there was nothing bigger than being quarantined for the coronavirus. Still, the group of friends we met in the first film learned how to use Zoom and chat online, and the world continued to revolve.

Other changes happened, too. Carol’s restaurant shut down due to a lack of customers. As a judge, Sharon’s become a bit jaded, marrying off a bunch of younger people. And Vivian—yes, Vivian —is getting married.

Despite Vivian’s distaste for holy matrimony, Arthur finally broke her down with his charm, and the two purchased an engagement ring on a spur-of-the-moment decision. Such a joyous occasion is reason for celebration, the rest of the group decides. And hey, they’ve always wanted to go to Italy, so why not turn the bachelorette celebration into a bachelorette vacation?

Soon, they’ve all arrived and are ready to mambo all around the Italian landscape. Carol, Sharon and Diane all have surprises in store for Vivian that they can’t wait to spring upon her.

But Italy’s got a few surprises of its own that the bookless book club will face, too.

Positive Elements

Though things inevitably go awry during the trip, the group of women scarcely lets problems get them down. And if one of them begins to slip, the other three are quick to reassure them that everything will be alright. On the flip side, when something postive happens to one of them, the others celebrate their friend’s good fortune.

At one point, Vivian doubts her commitment to marriage, but her friends reassure her. Diane and Carol receive similar comfort and reassurances. The only member of the book club they are confident doesn’t have any issues in her life is Sharon (though even that isn’t quite the case, as we’ll see.) Regardless, the four women frequently support one another.

Spiritual Elements

While searching for a venue, Vivian and Arthur check out a church. The priest there tells them about a statue of Saint Christopher, “the patron saint of travel.” Vivian and Arthur take the statue’s presence as a sign that Vivian should go to Italy. When Vivian tells Sharon that she’s inside a church, Sharon responds that she’s “shocked you didn’t burst into flames when you crossed the threshold.” A man crosses himself.

We hear many references to “the universe” or “fate” determining the future. In fact, Sharon eventually challenges Vivian to stop blaming everything on such things and to take control of her life rather than letting it passively slip away.

Someone says that you should trust your heart, “because it always, always , guides you right.” That sentimental exhortation immediately brings to mind Mark 7:21 and Jeremiah 17:9, the latter of which reads: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

Someone talks about a “Divine Master’s stroke” in reference to affirmation of a marriage.

Sexual Content

Most of the many jokes in Book Club: The Next Chapter are sexual in nature. One woman suggests that a bachelorette party “means we go see naked men.” To accomplish that, the women look at marble statues of naked men, and we briefly see the statue’s genitals. “Where do I stuff the dollar bills?” Someone asks. The women furthermore joke about the small size of the statue’s genitals, with Vivian making a crude, suggestive joke about male arousal. The breasts of a female statue are visible, too.

Sharon flirts with a stranger, and the two have sex in a boat. When the man is caught by a police officer asking what he’s doing, Sharon responds “that would be me.”

The women use Italian words as double entendres for male and female genitals. Carol’s dress bears a bit of cleavage, and her friends point it out. Later, Carol reconnects with an old flame, and she decides to flirt with him despite already being married. We later hear the two of them grunting suggestively as the van they’re in rocks back and forth, but it’s later revealed that the two were just vigorously making pasta dough together. The man later texts Carol a thanks for “rubbing his dough” and providing a “very happy ending to his night,” and Carol worries that her husband with misinterpret the texts (as her friends make many more crude references).

We see kisses between several different couples. We hear references to and jokes about various sexual body parts or bodily functions, including pubic hair, male and female genitals, arousal and ejaculation.

And there are still more references to sex. Vivian describes her ideal wedding dress as “sexy, yet traditional.” Someone misunderstands the flow of a conversation, leading to a sexual reference. A character mentions “making love in the park.” Someone talks about a man’s genitals, and another person says, “There’s nothing I wouldn’t have done for him—sexually.” We see someone text about buying new lingerie. Sharon talks about having so much sex that she doesn’t remember who she got a jacket from. Another crude quip comes from someone who says Mother Teresa “wasn’t just on her knees praying ,” after a reference to oral sex.

Violent Content

A car swerves and nearly crashes after its tire bursts. Vivian thinks a buff police officer is actually a stripper, and she touches his body without his consent, telling him to start taking his clothes off.

Crude or Profane Language

The Lord’s name is paired with an f-word once, and it’s taken in vain a second time as well. The s-word is heard five times. We also hear “d–n,” “h—” and “b–tard.” God’s name is used in vain about 60 times, including one use with “d–n.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

The fours friends drink wine in most scenes. Diane admits that she may be a bit intoxicated, and another character deals with a hangover. We hear a reference to syringes used for drugs.

Other Negative Elements

Men steal luggage. Diane accidentally drops an urn full of ashes from a helicopter. Many people discuss how their previous marriages failed.

Book Club: The Next Chapter has nothing to do with books, instead leaning fully into the relational side of things with messages that make the purpose of relationships seem a bit self-serving.

The movie casts Vivian as its primary focus, and she approaches the prospect of getting married with something akin to excited dread. That dread comes almost exclusively from her fear of having to, in essence, think about someone else.

That’s not the explicit message, of course, but it’s certainly implicit in Vivian’s dialogue about preferring dating to marriage,  because it’s less commitment. The moral here is essentially that Vivian will love Arthur so long as she doesn’t have to give up anything for him. She’ll choose him so long as she has the ability to un-choose him if need be. In this approach to matrimony, Book Club fundamentally misunderstands marriage, approaching it from a self-centered “What can I get out of this?” mindset rather than a self-sacrificial one.

I only write that harsh paragraph to express the ugliness of such a view of marriage. And as for the rest of the film, well, it felt more like the whole sequel was made as an excuse for the actresses to have fun in Italy—many of the scenes simply show them touring Rome, Venice and Florence, wine in hand. I don’t know if the movie was intended to feel like someone showing me a slideshow of their vacation, but that’s how it came across to me.

Like its predecessor, Book Club: The Next Chapter relies heavily on bawdy jokes and suggestive gags for its humor, and the women additionally use God’s name in vain about 60 times.

So is there anything positive here? I’ll admit that the foursome’s steadfast friendship and encouragement of one another are traits to be desired among any friend group. Then again, you can bet that the movie would jump at the chance to make a sex joke because of my use of the word “foursome.”

The first Book Club was a box office success, earning more $100 million against a $14 million budget. But not every box office blowout demands a sequel. And Book Club: The Next Chapter falls squarely into that latter category.

Kennedy Unthank

Kennedy Unthank studied journalism at the University of Missouri. He knew he wanted to write for a living when he won a contest for “best fantasy story” while in the 4th grade. What he didn’t know at the time, however, was that he was the only person to submit a story. Regardless, the seed was planted. Kennedy collects and plays board games in his free time, and he loves to talk about biblical apologetics. He thinks the ending of Lost “wasn’t that bad.”

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‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’: This club deserves better material

Candice Bergen, Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton and Mary Steenburgen star in this sequel to 2018′s giggly, featherweight mom-com

A movie like “Book Club: The Next Chapter” might as well be reverse-engineered to plunge a self-respecting critic into an existential crisis. As art, this sequel to the surprise 2018 hit — a giggly, feather-light mom-com starring Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton and Mary Steenburgen — is borderline indefensible. Directed by Bill Holderman from a script he co-wrote with Erin Simms, this choppily paced, tonally uneven series of corny gags and heartfelt girl talks has the brightly lit, banal aesthetic that signals Hollywood at its most lazily mediocre.

And yet. As such recent films as “ Ticket to Paradise ,” “ A Man Called Otto ” and “ 80 for Brady ” indicate, there is a place in the cinematic firmament for just this kind of shallow but essentially harmless escapism. More to the point, “The Next Chapter” performs at least one act of distinguished public service in providing one of the screen’s most talented comediennes a too-rare chance to share her sublimely dry wit and flawless timing yet again.

That gifted artist is Bergen, of course, who began her career as a thinking man’s sex symbol only to reveal later in life that she had the wiseacre instincts of a borscht belt pro. In the “Book Club” movies, she plays a judge named Sharon, who as “The Next Chapter” opens is having a Scotch and struggling with the titular group’s Zoom meetings. As a look back at the beginnings of the pandemic, the opening sequence has a wistful, nostalgic air — everyone thinks the lockdown will last a couple of weeks — and it explains the longish gap between installments: Finally, with the travel bans finally lifted, Sharon and her friends Diane (Keaton), Viv (Fonda) and Carol (Steenburgen) are going to Italy, with the stated purpose of celebrating Viv’s upcoming marriage to her lost-then-found love, Arthur.

It’s something of an inside joke that Arthur is played by Don Johnson — whose daughter Dakota starred in the adaptation of “50 Shades of Grey,” the novel that the “Book Club” ladies were reading last time. (This year’s inspo is Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist,” references to which are forced into the dialogue like so much soppressata.) It’s also telling that, to find a believable love interest for Fonda, the filmmakers had to find a man several years her junior: At 85, she still looks smashing, deploying her lithe physique with dancerly grace and precision, and proudly showing it off during a fizz-fueled wedding-dress montage. Viv, a lifelong singleton, harbors gnawing doubts about matrimony, as does Diane, who is still with Mitch (Andy Garcia), the yummy guy she met five years ago. Carol, her Los Angeles restaurant a covid-era casualty, now pours all her energy into controlling her health-challenged husband, Bruce (Craig T. Nelson). The conflicts of these prosperous, privileged women of a bangin’ age are decidedly low-stakes, even when “The Next Chapter” piles one trivial crisis on top of the last.

Plotty, preposterous and — let’s be honest — more than a tad patronizing, “The Next Chapter” doesn’t deviate from a familiar playbook of similarly frisky wish-fulfillment fantasies: It’s “80 for Brady” without the bedazzled jerseys and Patriots patois. Instead of promiscuous NFL product placement, we get touristy scenes in Rome, Venice and Tuscany, accompanied by barely believable oohs and aahs suggesting these well-heeled dames have never tasted prosecco before (or met a risque meatball joke they didn’t like).

You don’t have to suspend disbelief to enjoy the cheerfully ersatz world “The Next Chapter” inhabits as much as jettison it entirely: “White Lotus” fans might find themselves longing for Jennifer Coolidge to crash the proceedings on a Vespa, her Monica Vitti scarf flowing. Then, it’s simply a matter of accepting the scant but undemanding pleasures of watching these accomplished, preternaturally appealing actresses claiming their rightful space on the big screen, albeit with material that doesn’t nearly do them justice.

That goes double for Bergen, who as in the first “Book Club” gets most of the laughs by way of wry, sarcastically muttered asides. Alongside her more fashion-forward co-stars, she’s styled to make Sharon look as frumpy as possible, right down to the nerdy fanny pack she displays over her sensible stretch-knit khakis. It’s only during one of the film’s more amusing sequences, when Sharon has a mid-canal fling with a handsome man she meets in Venice — played with silky charisma by Hugh Quarshie — that “The Next Chapter” reveals the truth, which is that, when she’s allowed to be, Bergen is just as hot as ever. So, by the way, is Giancarlo Giannini as an Italian police officer who becomes Sharon’s teasingly grouchy nemesis. Even amid the corny jokes, awkward segues, forced conflicts and predictable resolutions, Bergen and Giannini manage to develop a low-simmer chemistry between the insults. Perhaps in future editions, that frisson can blossom into something more than a footnote.

PG-13. At area theaters. Contains some strong language and suggestive material. 107 minutes.

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Review: In ‘Book Club,’ Women, Wine and the Pursuit of More

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By A.O. Scott

• May 16, 2018

The four members in the titular book club of “Book Club” are four women who have been meeting once a month to drink wine and talk about a book. They started in the ’70s with Erica Jong’s “Fear of Flying” and have just turned their attention to E.L. James’s “Fifty Shades of Grey.” There’s a lot of literary and social history in the span between those two best sellers, which take their heroines from “zipless” adultery to handcuffed monogamy, from elusive liberation to consensual bondage.

But this movie isn’t much concerned with the novels themselves. The stories it has to tell about feminism and female sexuality are left mainly implicit in the script (by Bill Holderman and Erin Simms; Mr. Holderman directed) because they are written in the faces of its stars. And much in the way that their characters use reading as a pretext for hanging out and drinking wine — there will be wine in every paragraph of this review, as there is wine in nearly every scene of this film — the filmmakers understand that what will satisfy the audience is time in the company of Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton and Mary Steenburgen.

They embody a carefully plotted range of professional and marital situations. Sharon (Ms. Bergen) is a long-divorced federal judge. Diane (Ms. Keaton) is a recently widowed mother of two grown daughters (Alicia Silverstone and Katie Aselton). Vivian (Ms. Fonda) is a proudly unattached hotel owner. Carol (Ms. Steenburgen) is a happily married chef. (All of them are heterosexual.) Having finished with a book that sounds a lot like Cheryl Strayed’s “Wild,” they turn to the adventures of Anastasia Steele. And while they make a few mild jokes about spanking and the Red Room over their glasses of chardonnay, “Fifty Shades” inspires them not to kinky exploration, but to the sharing and eventual correction of their own sexual frustrations.

Vivian might want something more than no-strings hookups. Carol is worried that she and her husband, Bruce (Craig T. Nelson), have lost their spark. Sharon has given up on romance, and Diane’s attempts to enjoy her independence are thwarted by her protective, anxious children. But she meets a handsome pilot (Andy Garcia) and drinks wine with him at his place in Sedona. Sharon opens a Bumble account and drinks wine with Richard Dreyfuss. Vivian crosses paths with an old flame (Don Johnson) who still carries a torch for her. (They drink milkshakes.) Carol slips Bruce (who drinks beer) a Viagra mickey.

That doesn’t work out so well. Erectile humor is about as naughty as “Book Club” gets and about as imaginative. There is no risk of seriously hurt feelings or biting satire. Even Sharon’s former husband (Ed Begley Jr.) and his much-younger fiancée (Mircea Monroe) are treated with more kindness than scorn. What drives the plot through its genial motions isn’t the struggle for freedom or even the pursuit of happiness, but rather the impulse to improve lives that are already fundamentally (and oenophilically) happy and free.

There is an element of fantasy in this, of course, and also a great deal of reality left out of the picture. It does seem a bit odd, for instance, that a comedy about four 70-ish American women in 2018 would have nothing to say about either of the candidates in the most recent presidential election, but this isn’t the only recent movie to respond to the political situation by wishing it out of existence. And besides, these women — Ms. Fonda, Ms. Keaton, Ms. Steenburgen and Ms. Bergen, that is — have nothing to prove. Each one brings enough credibility and charisma to “Book Club” to render its weaknesses largely irrelevant. You’d be happy to watch them read the phone book. Or the Oxford English Dictionary. Or “ The Oxford Companion to Wine .”

Book Club Rated PG-13. Vanilla spice. Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes.

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Review: ‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ is like being on vacation

Almost nothing happens in this likable sequel to the comedy starring jane fonda, mary steenburgen, candice bergen and diane keaton — but that’s just fine..

Diane Keaton (left), Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen are longtime friends who travel to Italy in “Book Club: The Next Chapter.”

“ Book Club ” was, at best, a pleasant diversion. But “Book Club: The Next Chapter” is something more. It’s a movie that proves that it’s possible to make an entertaining, full-length picture with practically no story.

Yes, there are incidents , because in life there are always incidents. If you had a camera following you around for a full day, it would show you moving from incident to incident, and yet the odds are good that none of it would amount to a “story.”

Likewise, in this sequel to the 2018 film, a series of little things happen, but they don’t mean much, and at no point do we ever wonder, “What will happen?” Nor do we root for one thing to happen over another. In fact, at no point does the movie present us with a real reason to keep watching, and yet we do, contentedly, as though we were just experiencing life with these four old friends, played by Diane Keaton , Jane Fonda , Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen.

How do you make a successful comedy without anything resembling a conflict? Perhaps you do it by establishing the conflict as not one between people, but rather between the characters and time. It’s the story of four elderly women, keenly aware of the clock, who decide to go on the Italian vacation they’d been putting off their entire lives.

Right away, the movie wins us over with a recap of the ladies’ last few years. Theirs were like everybody else’s: After doing their book club meetings in person every month since 1973, the women had to switch to Zoom for more than a year during the height of COVID-19 lockdown. We see them, talking about the strains on their businesses and banging pots out the window in appreciation of health care workers — an odd form of tribute that’s already becoming lost to history.

There’s also a nice scene when they get together after the pandemic: They have the weird experience of having to get used to their friends as physical, not screen, entities.

Mary Steenburgen (left), Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton and Jane Fonda in “Book Club: The Next Chapter.” 

Then they all go to Italy, most of them for the first time (which is surprising, since every last of them is either well-off or rich). First, they head to Rome. Then a waiter informs them that Venice is worth visiting, which the women greet as something akin to breaking news. So right then and there, they decide to add in a detour to this newfangled “Venice” location, before proceeding on to Tuscany.

I know what you’re thinking: “Book Club: The Next Chapter” must be like watching other people’s vacation videos. But it’s not like that at all. Rather, it feels like being on vacation. Through these women, we have the vicarious experience, not only of the sights of Italy but the psychological experience of being in a place that suddenly lends an air of enchantment to every interaction. Every conversation becomes the foundation of a lasting memory. Even colossal nuisances (the women get arrested at one point) seem an extension of living life in a big new way.

The ensemble cast of women is terrific. But having grown up with the Beatles, I feel an impulse to choose one as the best, and this time it’s Steenburgen, who is affecting in a number of scenes, including one in which she reunites with an old lover.

Of the men, Andy Garcia and Don Johnson deserve mention for managing to keep smirks on their faces the entire movie. And 80-year-old Giancarlo Giannini shows up as an old police chief — though why is this man still working at his age? He should be on vacation himself, visiting — like all Europeans — San Francisco. 

Reach Mick LaSalle: [email protected]

Mick LaSalle is the film critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, where he has worked since 1985. He is the author of two books on pre-censorship Hollywood, "Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood" and "Dangerous Men: Pre-Code Hollywood and the Birth of the Modern Man." Both were books of the month on Turner Classic Movies and "Complicated Women" formed the basis of a TCM documentary in 2003, narrated by Jane Fonda. He has written introductions for a number of books, including Peter Cowie's "Joan Crawford: The Enduring Star" (2009). He was a panelist at the Berlin Film Festival and has served as a panelist for eight of the last ten years at the Venice Film Festival.  His latest book, a study of women in French cinema, is "The Beauty of the Real: What Hollywood Can Learn from Contemporary French Actresses."

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Movie review: ‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ a light, bubbly trip to Italy

Movie review.

It seems like everyone’s going to Italy these days. Thanks to a strong dollar and pandemic-induced wanderlust, it’s not just influencers, old friends and exes filling up their Instagram feeds with gelato and pasta. “Succession: Season 3″ took to a trip to Tuscany for a wedding, “The White Lotus: Season 2″ checked in for a stay in Sicily, while Toni Collette landed in Rome to become the “Mafia Mamma.” And now the “Book Club” gals — Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen, Diane Keaton and Candice Bergen — take off for a wine-soaked adventure off the page in the fluffy and fantastical “Book Club: The Next Chapter.”

Directed by Bill Holderman, written by Holderman and Erin Simms, this sequel is even more of a heightened fantasy than the 2018 film. It will require tossing aside every scrap of disbelief and grabbing onto a glass of prosecco instead, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t also be a touching story about the importance of lifelong friendships. When Vivian (Fonda) grasps her girls in a group hug and declares them her “soul mates,” it’s hard not to be at least a little bit moved by their friendship, which is a lively balance of pleasure-seeking, hapless adventure and a healthy dose of just-enough tough love.

In the first film, the gals got their groove back thanks to “Fifty Shades of Grey,” and in “The Next Chapter,” it’s about forging a new path forward with Paolo Coelho’s “The Alchemist,” the quartet looking for signs, which lead them to Italy under the auspices of a bachelorette party for Vivian, who is now engaged to Arthur (Don Johnson).

“The Next Chapter” has a bit of a stumble at the outset. The 2020-set preamble retreads some tired pandemic material about Zoom happy hours as the book club goes virtual, and the machinations to get them to Italy are so tortured that as an audience, we often feel ahead of the characters. It’s not until they arrive in Venice from Rome, rattled by the theft of their suitcases, that we fall into step with them, as they shake loose their uptight Brentwood sensibilities for the Italian way of life, following the signs like Coelho’s protagonist. A spontaneous drink with a handsome stranger, Ousmane (Hugh Quarshie), leads to a serendipitous dinner party and a visitor from the past.

The film was shot on location in Italy, offering a bit of a travelogue appeal, though it retains the aesthetic of a carefully lit studio back lot. The characters are also essentially riffs on these legendary actresses’ personas — it’s not exactly transformative acting here.

But once again, Bergen proves to be the MVP as salty, sarcastic retired judge Sharon. She’s the very necessary hit of acid needed to make this confection palatable, the spritz of lemon on a plate of fritto misto, cutting through the fat. Going with the Italian wine theme, as these ladies like to drink a lot of it, Sharon is a dry, full-bodied Montepulciano (she may be sardonic, but she is still sexy). Fonda’s Vivian a crisp, bubbly prosecco, chef Carol (Steenburgen) a velvety Chianti, perfect for pairing with food, while Diane (Keaton) is a cool, sweet pinot grigio. To continue the food metaphors, the story itself is also so easily digestible that it calls to mind polenta: warm, comforting, not too challenging, a little cheesy.

This is a film that wants to have it all: to celebrate the women who take the nontraditional path but still end in a white wedding; to offer a portrait of feminine sexuality of a certain age, but remain couched in heterosexual monogamy. There are some inherent contradictions in what it wants to hold as true at the same time, but it’s also honest in that it offers a space for those truths to coexist. Holderman and Simms’ script navigates those moments capably enough.

Ultimately, “Book Club: The Next Chapter” is about finding balance: between reading the signs and controlling your own narrative, between taking a leap of faith and putting in the hard work and, most important, putting your own desires first and having the bravery to take the reins, whether that means marriage or a rendezvous in a canal with a handsome professor of philosophy. Either or both can be the right choice. It may be treacly and unrealistic, but “Book Club: The Next Chapter” has heart and soul, and it’s as sweet and quaffable as an Aperol spritz on a hot day.

With Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen, Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, Don Johnson, Hugh Quarshie. Directed by Bill Holderman, from a screenplay by Holderman and Erin Simms. 107 minutes. Rated PG-13 for some strong language and suggestive material. Opens May 11 at multiple theaters.

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Fabulous stars drink, talk about sex in racy comedy.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Promotes strong female friendships and not allowin

All four main characters are role models in differ

Lots of discussions about sex (or lack thereof). J

One use of "f---ed up," plus occasional use of wor

Book trilogy Fifty Shades of Grey prominently feat

Wine in nearly every scene: The women drink it (es

Parents need to know that Book Club is a comedy about four best friends (Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen) whose lives change after they agree to read Fifty Shades of Grey together. E.L. James' trilogy plays a prominent role in the movie; it's quoted and discussed several…

Positive Messages

Promotes strong female friendships and not allowing stereotypes to define how you age. Also positive messages about healthy marriages, sex and intimacy/commitment, and how adult children and their parents interact.

Positive Role Models

All four main characters are role models in different ways: Vivian is a successful entrepreneur, Carol is a celebrated chef and generous philanthropist, Diane is an attentive and loving mother, and Sharon is an admirable and respected judge. They're all encouraging and supportive friends to one another. No notable diversity within the cast.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Lots of discussions about sex (or lack thereof). Jokes about erections, unused vaginas, celibacy, one-night stands. Vivian shown putting on her shoes after casual sex. The friends quote from, have conversations about "hot" scenes in Fifty Shades of Grey . One character has sex in a car after a date. Another attempts to seduce her husband, puts Viagra in his beer. A husband suffers through a prolonged erection. Husband and wife rush off to have sex off camera. A new couple is shown in bed (clothed) and kissing in various places.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

One use of "f---ed up," plus occasional use of words including "s--t," "hell," "ass," "damn," "Jesus Christ" (as an exclamation), sexual use of "come," nonsexual use of the term "lethargic pussy," etc.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Book trilogy Fifty Shades of Grey prominently featured, as are Eargasm, Mercedes cars, iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Bumble, the book Wild , Honda, Buca di Beppo restaurant, Viagra, Volvo, Toyota Prius, Cave of Forgotten Dreams , Smirnoff vodka.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Wine in nearly every scene: The women drink it (especially white wine) a lot . In one scene, the four of them finish three bottles of wine and one bottle of hard liquor. Other adults drink beer, wine, and cocktails at restaurants, bars, parties, etc. Diane takes some sort of anti-anxiety or sleeping meds to fly on a plane.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Book Club is a comedy about four best friends ( Jane Fonda , Candice Bergen , Diane Keaton , Mary Steenburgen ) whose lives change after they agree to read Fifty Shades of Grey together. E.L. James' trilogy plays a prominent role in the movie; it's quoted and discussed several times and acts as a catalyst for each of the women to re-examine the state of her own love life. Not surprisingly, there are many obvious references to sex, several scenes of flirting and kissing, jokes about erections, and a couple of shots of couples who are either about to have sex or have just had it. Expect occasional strong language (including one use of "f---ed up") and lots of drinking (especially of white wine). Teens may not be especially interested, but the movie does have strong messages about female friendships and healthy relationships. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

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• Kids say (3)

Based on 12 parent reviews

not my kind of film

Even a party loving 18 yr old loved it, what's the story.

BOOK CLUB follows four 60-something Southern California best friends who've been meeting and discussing books since they were in their 20s. Single hotelier Vivian ( Jane Fonda ) never demands more than casual sex from men. Federal judge Sharon ( Candice Bergen ) has been celibate for the 18 years since she divorced her husband. Recently widowed stay-at-home mom Diane ( Diane Keaton ) is at odds with her two adult daughters, who want her to move near them in Arizona. And chef Carol ( Mary Steenburgen ) is happily married to newly retired Bruce ( Craig T. Nelson ); they love each other but haven't been intimate in six months. When it's Vivian's turn to pick the next book, she gives everyone Fifty Shades of Grey . At first the women balk at reading erotica, but as they read E.L. James' trilogy, they each rediscover their "inner goddesses," whether it's through online dating (for Sharon), flirting with a handsome pilot ( Andy Garcia ) for Diane, or rekindling an old flame ( Don Johnson ) for Vivian.

Is It Any Good?

No matter how you feel about the Fifty Shades of Grey book s , it's a treat to watch this quartet of excellent actresses on screen together, although the comedy is only somewhat entertaining. Although it would be wonderful for the 65-and-over actresses to perform in a film that didn't involve Fifty Shades as a central plot point, it's undeniably amusing to see them banter in this Nancy Meyers -like comedy. (Gorgeous homes? Check! Keaton's trademark costume style? Check! Sexagenarian romance? Check! All-white cast? Check ...) It's also refreshing for a movie to offer the possibility that older women can be with younger men (Johnson is 12 years younger than Fonda, and Garcia is 10 years younger than Keaton) and to cast acclaimed actors like Wallace Shawn , Ed Begley Jr. , and Richard Dreyfuss in supporting roles.

The characters' various love stories are unevenly played out, with Keaton's and Fonda's the most traditionally romantic, Bergen's played for laughs (she finds her suitors through online dating), and Steenburgen's somewhat bittersweet except for a predictable sequence involving Viagra and its long-lasting effects. But it's not the romances that make this film watchable, it's the supportive relationships between the women. The dialogue is authentic -- as is the high amount of alcohol consumption associated with women's book clubs (it's unclear how the characters were functional at their jobs after drinking so much wine). Two of the best parts of the movie are the breathtaking California and Arizona locations and the nostalgic soundtrack, which ranges from Paul Simon and Meat Loaf to Tom Petty and Roxy Music.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about who the target audience for Book Club is. How can you tell? Why do you think there are relatively few films featuring older women?

Which characters do you consider role models in the movie? Why?

What role does drinking play in the characters' lives? Do you think they drink responsibly?

Why do you think the Fifty Shades books are so popular, even among those who haven't read the trilogy? Why do you think they've made such an impact on popular culture?

Movie Details

• In theaters : May 18, 2018
• On DVD or streaming : August 28, 2018
• Cast : Diane Keaton , Jane Fonda , Candice Bergen
• Director : Bill Holderman
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Paramount Pictures
• Genre : Comedy
• Topics : Friendship
• Run time : 104 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : sex-related material throughout, and for language
• Last updated : October 3, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Book Club Reviews

The result is a rather dull and monotonous affair that shouldn’t have been made.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Mar 6, 2024

To some Book Club will be inane and superfluous. To those with appreciative tastes for the talent involved, they will find satisfying enjoyment in watching these women shine as they do best.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 16, 2024

Book Club made me want to give up reading altogether.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Aug 16, 2022

What's most disappointing about these ladies reading Fifty Shades is how uncritical they are of it.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Feb 5, 2021

It's refreshing to see an adult rom-com with well-written characters, good acting, and one that focuses on an older demographic.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 4, 2020

[I]t's just something none of [the stars] deserve.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Jul 24, 2020

I loathed this movie -- every scene, every joke, every performance, every idea.

Full Review | Jun 11, 2020

Geriatric Sex and the City.

Full Review | May 19, 2020

It was exactly as advertised.

Jane Fonda has a blast playing a boozy Samantha-like hotel owner who flees from intimacy. Her Vivian may start out cartoonish, but Fonda can't help but show us the fear and desire hidden under her hard and abrasive veneer.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Apr 26, 2020

Stale jokes and cringe-inducing sight gags punctuate this creaky romantic comedy.

Full Review | Mar 16, 2020

The best reason to see this film is to see these legends act and interact.

Full Review | Aug 13, 2019

As has become the norm these days, screen legends are brought together not for an instant classic that deserves all the awards but for a frothy comedy that, frankly, is far beneath their collective talents. Yet bless them all for signing those contracts.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jul 18, 2019

Come for the effortless rapport of the stars, but don't expect the film to fully deliver on their promise.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jun 3, 2019

The film proves entertaining enough to pass the time with a quartet of women, who even when saddled with mediocre material, rise to the occasion time and time again

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | May 1, 2019

Book Club underscores why the romantic comedy remains a viable genre.

Full Review | Apr 4, 2019

The chemistry between the leading ladies is a virtue. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 30, 2019

Hollywood could've done something different with the casting, we talk about inclusion and diversity but if there was a different way of casting, it wouldn't change the film at all but how we feel about it.

Full Review | Mar 21, 2019

The first entry in the 50 Shades Extended Cinematic Universe brings nothing new to the table or the genre but sets up plenty of avenues for the inevitable Book Club 2.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 20, 2019

More book club movies please!

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Feb 27, 2019

GAME 7s, PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, PREAKNESS + BOOK CLUB PART 1!

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The Miracle Club Review: A Refreshing Tale of Friendship and Forgiveness

W hen we think of strong women, fear doesn’t usually coincide with that image, but the reality is that even the toughest among them, when battling weakness from overwhelming uncertainties, will at some point turn to faith. Whether that is a trust in a higher power or relying on a set of loyal friends, finding strength through something greater than one’s own footing is an inherent go-to for even the fiercest female.

Set in 1967, The Miracle Club is an uplifting film about three close friends who represent completely different generations who reunite with someone from their past. The powerhouse ensemble cast is dreamy.

Lily is portrayed by Maggie Smith ( Downton Abbey ), Eileen by Kathy Bates ( Misery ), and Dolly by Agnes O'Casey (BBC One’s Ridley Road ), and they all reside in a densely populated community in Dublin called Ballygar. Separately, and yet together, they are facing life challenges such as a health scare, a mute child, and debilitating guilt from a deceased child. They all need and support one other, but what they really want is to win a trip to Lourdes, a place of miracles.

Similar to a Jewish person's faith journey to the Western Wall, a Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem, or a Muslim’s person's Hajj, for those of Catholic faith, this annual journey to Lourdes is embarked upon in hopes of being granted a miracle for which the French lure is known to distribute. For women in the 1960s, as is apparent in The Miracle Club , this was also an opportunity to temporarily escape the mundane routines of domestic life. For this group, there is so much more in store.

The Commanding Cast

Just before the women's excursion, Chrissie (Laura Linney, You Can Count on Me ), returns to Ballygar after 40 years to bury her estranged and recently deceased mother, Maureen, who was originally supposed to be going to be the fourth friend on the journey. Replacing her mother without invitation, Chrissie joins the initially unwelcoming ladies, and she is an immediate and definite vibe misfit.

After being exiled and culturally re-conditioned in the United States for so long, Chrissie’s presence is the awkward beginning on an ultimately uplifting path to healing from unspoken trauma and buried betrayals presented by some of the most iconic actresses to exist.

As is true in anything in which she is cast, Smith doesn't even need to speak she's so amazing. Her facial expressions and reactions provide a level of subtext that is rarely seen in less competent actors. Smith's scenes are arguably the most memorable. Luckily for Linney, who is as amazing as always, her most memorable scenes are with Smith and they are quite a dynamic duo.

Related: Here Are The 8 Best Maggie Smith Movies and TV Shows

Bates is simply a treasure. With an impressive accent, she is probably the strongest anchor for sure-laughs in what is billed as a comedy. All of this is to be expected with such a celebrated actress.

Perhaps, then, it is fair to note that O’Casey, the youngest of the group, isn't at all a weak link to this ensemble. She doesn't waver in confidence for a second while acting in scenes with such iconic talent. O'Casey holds her own with ease and doesn't show even a hint of exerted efforts to match the level of shine surrounding her. O'Casey makes it impressively clear in every scene that, quite frankly, she has nothing to prove. That is the strength of this entire film. Actually, no one, not even the writers, do.

Plot Caveat

There isn’t anything especially unexpected in The Miracle Club. This film is for moviegoers who don't need narrative frills and acrobatic hijinks for laughs. Instead, this is a refreshing return to sophisticated simplicity where a story could simply evolve with ease and void of formulaic plot points.

More so, there aren’t any special effects or gratuitous camera tricks. Director and award-winning Irish filmmaker Thaddeus O’Sullivan is too classy for that in his approach and this story of reconciliation is too tender to need it.

What we have in The Miracle Club is a timeless tale that serves as a gift for audiences who simply want a good movie.

Related: 10 Severely Underappreciated Classic Movies

Based on a story written by Jimmy Smallhorne, who also wrote the screenplay along with Timothy Prager and Joshua D. Maurer, The Miracle Club packs an exceptional ensemble cast that could probably just recite the alphabet and leave audiences with an impressively unforgettable performance.

On one hand, a turn-off for some might be in regard to the abortion plot line . On the stronger hand, it's more timely than ever to look back at how far (or not) the subject has come.

The comedy is light and easy and The Miracle Club feels more like a return to classics. It is a glimpse into a real world with authentic and imperfect families comprised of women who are, each in their own way, doing the best they can to get by with a little bit of hope and strength and a whole lot of faith and friendship. In these times, we can never have too many forgiveness-themed films, that’s for sure. For that reason alone, The Miracle Club is worth seeing.

From Sony Pictures Classics, The Miracle Club will be released in theaters July 14th, 2023.

‘Thelma the Unicorn’ Review: Brittany Howard Voices a Pony with Dreams of Fame in Unexceptional Netflix Toon

'Napoleon Dynamite' filmmaker Jared Hess co-directs by-the-numbers adaptation of a popular children’s book, whose peculiar background characters keep it entertaining.

By Carlos Aguilar

Carlos Aguilar

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Closer in tone to the sharp adult series “BoJack Horseman” than to Illumination’s bland “Sing” franchise, Netflix’s “ Thelma the Unicorn ” avoids being rendered completely unoriginal by its overly familiar premise thanks to consistent splashes of acid humor and a plethora of wacky supporting characters. Reimagined from the popular 2015 children’s book by Aaron Blabey, this bright-colored fable concerns a female pony chasing musical stardom disguised as a horned magical creature. But by changing her identity to chase those ambitions, Thelma betrays herself and those who truly know her.

Popular on Variety

Interestingly, one key departure from the source material is Thelma’s design, which likely took its cues from Howard’s hair and personality. Though it appears animals in this world are not subservient to humans, Thelma still labors at a farm alongside her loyal donkey friends and bandmates Otis (Will Forte) and Reggie (“Napoleon Dynamite” star Jon Heder).

When in leans into its desire to be a cynical parody of the music industry, à la “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,” that’s when “Thelma the Unicorn” briefly feels biting in a comical manner. Scenes involving Nikki Narwhal (Ally Dixon), an aquatic pop diva jealous of Thelma’s impending breakout, and Vic comment on the perils of the business: At one point, Vic reads Nikki a vicious review of her Las Vegas show, and later he absurdly pilots a boat on the Los Angeles River. Once Thelma signs with Vic, she gets the old Hollywood treatment by entering into a fabricated romance with a famous horse, and there’s even a jab at artificial intelligence when a computer instantly writes an idiotic hit single about cud.

From a visual standpoint, “Thelma the Unicorn” looks nearly indistinguishable from other nondescript computer-animated projects. Most of the human characters read as if they could be plucked from or plugged into a “Despicable Me” movie without anyone noticing. Likewise, the animals could walk on stage in “Sing” as if they’d always belonged there. On a granular level, differences may exist between these, but to the naked eye, what’s noticeable is the uninspired homogeneity in design, texture and lighting.

Still, the Hess duo interject bizarre humor into their screenplay via background characters by giving us a glimpse into their inner lives. Watch out for a short, middle-aged man obsessed with Thelma to the point he wants to be her son, probably a dig at the Bronie subculture of adult men who adore “My Little Pony.” Or perhaps chuckle at the gallows humor of a girl asking Thelma’s “boyfriend” to sign the urn containing her grandmother’s ashes. The collection of these tangential moments (of which there are plenty) ring more memorable than the core narrative and its obvious message. Although not as offbeat as last year’s “Leo,” Hess and Wang’s effort has enough gutsy flourishes to redeem it.

Reviewed on Netflix, May 16, 2024. Running time: 98 MIN.

• Production: (Animated) A Netflix release of a BuzzFeed Motion Pictures, Buzzfeed Studios, Matchbox Hero, Mikros Animation, Netflix Animation, Netflix Studios, Scholastic Entertainment production. Producers: Pam Coats. Executive producers: Dana Lynn Bennett Cooney, Aaron Blabey, Patrick Hughes.
• Crew: Directors: Jared Hess, Lynn Wang. Screenplay: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess. Editor: Edie Ichioka. Music: John Powell.
• With: Brittany Howard, Will Forte, Jon Heder, Ally Dixon, Jemaine Clement, Zach Galifianakis, Fred Armisen.

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