Do They Know Each Other from BEFORE?

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Apple TV+, director Adam Bernstein and creator Sarah Thorp is a story of loss in a thriller that will keep you guessing till the very shocking end with BEFORE.

Eli (Billy Crystal) is a child psychologist who is dealing with the loss of his wife Lynn (Judith Light). One morning at his front door, a young boy named Noah (Jacobi Jupe) appears and tries to discover where he is from as the boy leaves. After his therapy appointment, Eli begins to question whether he will ever be able to help kids as he once did. When friend Gail (Sakina Jaffrey) asks him to take on a case of a troubled boy, Eli does so begrudgingly.

Later that night, the boy at the door is now the boy at his bedside. Following him home, he meets Denise (Rosie Perez), Noah’s foster mother who cares so much for the boy. He also learns that the boy has stopped talking and Denise does not know why. Eli visits his friend Jackson (Robert Townsend) to try and make sense of what is happening but isn’t thrilled with the answers. Arriving to meet Gail, Eli is stunned to learn that her client is none other than Noah!

Learning that if Eli doesn’t attempt to reach the boy, Noah will go to a state facility. During their session, things begin to happen that Eli cannot explain. Now Eli is even more intrigued with what could possibly be driving the boy and he is not going to stop until he has looked at every aspect of Noah’s life. The clues are there and they are frightening!

Crystal as Eli plays a man who needs to come to terms with the death of his wife but only in a way that he can accept. When Noah shows up in his life, everything turns upside down but he can not stay away from what is happening to him. Becoming involved means he does not have to deal with his own pain and the dreams that haunt him. Crystal is really quite thrilling in this role and to see him take this character to places that can be quite frightening is everything. This fine comedic actor is allowed moments of a chuckle or two and even pieces of sarcasm but when things become intense, Crystal goes deeper than I’ve ever seen him go before.

Jupe as Noah is a very young actor who has taken on a very big and powerful role. As the frightened Noah, Jupe gives the audience a look inside what is going through this young boy’s mind. Jupe’s performance is absolutely stellar and as each episode progresses, he continues to provide the audience a chance to follow him and I was hooked immediately. Yes, he is an adorable kid but he is also a young actor who is showing the audience what he can do given a role such as this. Absolutely well done!

Perez as Denise is a woman who wants to give so much love to the young Noah. Having things go sideways for no reason, in her eyes, is a combination of frustration and total worry for her ward. She provides the audience with a safe link between Eli and Noah with her love for the child and the realization that only Eli seems to be able to reach him. Such a strong performance and a memorable one as well. Jaffrey as Gail believes that Eli is the only person who can help Eli but there comes a point when all becomes muddled. Following the case, she begins to see Eli as part of the problem rather than the solution.

Shout out to Townsend as Jackson is a sounding board for Eli but he is not listening to his friend. Perhaps he should as there might be some truth in what he is saying.  

The cast that will expand as the series runs includes Rebecca Ruane as Sophie, Maria Dizzia as Barbara, Will Hochman as Benjamin Walker, Jorie Rosen as Nikki, Miriam Shor as Sue Ann, David Mattle as Alex, Christina Renee as Nurse Jo and Ava Lalezarzadeh as Cleo.

AppleTV+ is a video on demand web television that debuted in 2019 viewable through the Apple TV app. CEO Tim Cook wanted original content calling it “a great opportunity for us from a creation point of view”. From THE MORNING SHOW to TRYING and THE BANKER and Jason Momoa in SEE, there is plenty of choices for everyone. Plenty of genres? That is exactly what they are bringing to viewers and to see more of what they have to offer please visit www.apple.com/tv/.

The 10-episode series includes The Imposter, the Scientist, The Liar, Symbols and Signs, Folie a Deux, Fever Dream, The Power of Belief, When We Dead Awaken, And the Darkness Was Called Night and Before.

Hailing from Paramount Television Studios, the limited series is created by Sarah Thorp. Thorp serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer. Crystal executive produces alongside Academy Award winner Eric Roth, pilot director Adam Bernstein and producing director Jet Wilkinson.

BEFORE is a series that needs to be followed from start to the last episode. I am a huge fan of original pieces and this is one of them. The characters of Eli and Noah are complex with strings leading in every twisted direction. Crystal and Jupe are just amazing and as their story unfolds, the characters go deeper and deeper into a story that connects them together – but how?

Being a fan of thrillers with huge twists, BEFORE gives just that. Each episode is a piece of a larger puzzle and telling it means we have to be patient weekly and get a large bowl of popcorn ready because this…is going to get good.

In the end – the connection is real!

STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN Brings the Comedy of Life

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from SHOUT! Studios and director Matt Ratner is the story of life changes, unexpected friendships and knowing about STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN.

Scott (Ben Schwartz) has been in Los Angeles for years doing stand up comedy. When things become a little stagnant in his life, he returns home to live with supportive Mom Jeanie (Debra Monk), not so supportive Dad Gary (Kevin Dunn) and hilarious sister Megan (Grace Gummer). Trying to decide what to do Scott spends an evening out with best bud Murph (Leonard Ouzts) who has some things to say.

He lets Scott know that life is different for those that didn’t take off to California. Bringing up his fast scoot out of town when things got to serious with ex-girlfriend Becky (Eloise Mumford) hit close to home for Scott. Heading off to the men’s room he meets Marty (Billy Crystal) who has a few weird habits.

Going to the dermatologist, Scott is amazed to discover it is Marty and a strange and unusual friendship begins to happen. Learning about one another is part of that friendship including the good, bad and the chance to make up for some of the mistakes they have both made in their life.

When Scott decides to go back to the stage, he might have finally broken the wall with his family…maybe. Marty decides to take a lesson from Scott’s playbook and reach out to the family he believes is lost to him.

Both wondering if its possible to drop the bag of bricks on their backs!

Schwartz as Scott is a man who thought going to Los Angeles for his comedy career was a great idea, and a good way to avoid a relationship. Coming home was the last thing he wanted to do knowing what wait for him walking through the front door. Finding Marty, although in an unusual way, became a friendship he counted on to avoid his own life because Marty didn’t judge. Schwartz gives his character the ability to verbally wrangle with his sister, avoidance with his Dad and avoid friends that ask to many questions.

Crystal as Marty gets a chance to do what he does best, be funny, have the best one-liners and a flow about him that gives his character ease. That’s all great but when its time to come to terms with Marty’s past, Crystal shows a side that is devastated, and I felt every bit of it. An amazing performance but not unexpected.

Gummer as sister Megan is absolutely hilarious and quick witted. I loved every scene she was in and wouldn’t have minded more. Shout out to Castaneda as boyfriend Ruiz for holding his own in a dysfunctional family. Monk as Mom Jeanie just wants her son to find some peace in his life, Dunn as Dad Gary is, well a dad without humor. Ouzt as Murph is a friend who doesn’t hesitate to let Scott know that there is more to life than the one he has created in his comedy bubble.

Other cast include Nate Corddry as Adam, Jill Hennessy as Vanessa, Caitlin McGee as Taylor, David Castaneda as Ruis, John Behlmann as Owen, Wade Allain-Marcus as Bray, Kate Arrington as Tonya and Mike Carlsen as Tony.

STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN is a film that just smacks of reality and you don’t have to be in comedy to see it. There are so many moments where I found myself saying out loud, “you got that right” because the situations are so relatable.

The cast played off each other so well that the story just flowed. There are moments where I laughed, moments I kind of fell quiet (I know right?) and most of all, times I saw what great lessons there are for us all in the film.

Director Ratner says about the story, “Scott and Marty are two people who are at very different points in their life with similar shortcomings. Scott is a dreamer who wants desperately to believe he is in a love story. Marty is a man who wears a mask – and wears it so well he often succeeds at fooling himself. The life he lives now – that of a suburban dermatologist – is an attempt at stability after a life lived in the fast lane. Marty and Scott are both perpetually teetering on the brink of self-destruction”.

The film was the Official Selection of the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019, Napa Valley Film Festival in 2019 and the Palm Springs International Film Festival. It won the Humor and Humanity Award from the Heartland International Film Festival.

STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN can also be found On-Demand, Apple TVm Amazon Instant, Vudu, GooglePlay, FandangoNow, Direct TV, Comcast, Dish Networks, Spectrum, Cox, Charter, AT&T U-verse. For more information please visit www.StandUpFallingDownMovie.com.

In the end – it’s a comedy about second chances!

Saddle Up and Prepare to Ride with the Bluray of CITY SLICKERS

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray from SHOUT! SELECT and director Rob Underwood is a classic

buddy comedy that is riding back into our homes with CITY SLICKERS.

Mitch (Billy Crystal) is having another birthday but this one seems to be hitting him a little harder that the last. Now 39, Mitch is finding his life a bit tedious at best and his wife Barbra (Patricia Wettig) notices. That’s when she suggests that he ‘go find himself’ which is exactly what he does.

He talks best friends Ed (Bruno Kirby) and Phil (Daniel Stern) into joining him in the fresh air and cow pie sky for a little rid in the saddle. They join up with others to herd cattle in New Mexico to Colorado and meet their leader Curly (Jack Palance).

Curly isn’t exactly your friendly type but that doesn’t stop Mitch from trying to learn a little more about him. There is also Barry (Josh Mostel) and Ira (David Paymer) Shalowitz, Bonnie (Helen Slater) along with doctors’ Ben (Bill Henderson) and Steve Jessup (Phill Lewis). They begin to work as a team and Mitch even delivers a cow who takes to his new Mitch-Mom and is named Norman.

All the warm fuzzies cool off in the night desert air when the cook gets drunk, food goes wrong and Curly leaves without a word. That leaves trouble makers Jeff (Kyle Secor) and T.R. (Dean Hallo) who themselves get drunk and threats are thrown like punches. The rest of the group believes the fun is over and decide to head back.

That is except Mitch who wants to get the cattle to Clay Stone’s (Noble Willingham) ranch as promised – along with Ed and Phil they beat the elements doing what could have been seen as the impossible.

Find themselves!

Crystal as Mitch embraces this character or maybe its just that I love him in this character. As a man who isn’t happy with his life and thinks an adventure might just be what he needs to get the pep back in his step. Crystal spent a greater part of the 80’s making such films about changes in life and what truly makes us happy. With CITY SLICKERS he takes it a step further and literally looks farther than even I would have to discover happiness is closer than you think.

Kirby as Ed is that friend who isn’t afraid of much but yet secretly afraid of allot. Keeping his life closed off to his two best buddies, it takes a night by the fire and herding cattle to come clean about the status of his own happiness – and the truth about it all.

Stern as Phil is the friend who is hiding behind life to get through life. Realizing he has spent a great deal of his life being a ‘yes man’ to keep everyone happy – including his own wife, has cost him years of happiness. Stern is awkward but does it so that I can’t help but want to save him. Slater as Bonnie comes in with a broken heart and an eye for Phil as well as proving to herself that she is just as tough a cowboy as the rest.

Palance as Curly is the clear winner in all of this. He doesn’t outshine his cast mates but his presence is such that even this quiet role screams awesomeness. I have been watching him in films for longer than I want to admit and I have to say that as Curly – he stole my film loving heart.

Other cast include: Tracey Watter as Cookie, Jeffrey Tambor as Lou, Karla Tamburrelli as Arlene, Yeardley Smith as Nancy, and Walker Brandt as Kim Furillo.

SHOUT! Factory has grown into a tremendous multi-platform media company. Releasing new animated features such as the exquisite Long Way North, and the epic fantasy Beauty And The Beast. Also their own original horror film, Fender Bender gives fans a good scare. For more of what SHOUT Factor has to offer please visit www.shoutfactory.com.

The Bluray also includes the Special Features of Audio Commentary by director Ron Underwood and Stars Billy Crystal and Daniel Stern, Back in the Saddle: CITY SLICKERS Revisited, Bringing in the Script: Writing CITY SLICKERS, A Star is Born: An Ode to Norman, The Real City Slickers and Deleted Scenes you won’t want to miss!

Designed with the film lover in mind, SHOUT SELECT shines a light on films that deserve a spot on your shelf. From acknowledged classics to cult favorites to unheralded gems, SHOUT SELECT celebrates the best in filmmaking, giving these movies the love and attention they deserve.

CITY SLICKERS is a buddy film that is full of everything we love this type of genre for. There are life crisis that we can all relate to, friends that will do everything with you even if they are a little bit scared of life, good times to be had even in a saddle and becoming the parent of an animal as lovely as Norman – perhaps not quite as big though.

This is a fun family film that brings out just about every human emotion and I’m more than okay with that. Laughs, a tear or two, surprise and finding yourself becoming a cheering section is pretty much every cool thing about CITY SLICKERS.

So, gather up your own herd of friends and family and revisit a trail ride that is still as much fun today as it was when released in theatres in 1991!

In the end – yesterday they were businessmen, today they’re cowboys and tomorrow they’ll be walking funny!