Hanging Up

Three grown-up sisters living their own separate lives, begin to re-establish their communication lines when their dear old dad falls ill.

This would be a good movie if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s got very little to say, features uncaring people sharing annoying phone conversations, is chockfull of bad acting moments and provides less emotional satisfaction than any third-rate after-school special. And I’m being nice! How junk like this gets made is beyond me, but happy am I that the Ephron sisters will finally be dealt a professional blow, considering the regurgitation level of their material had just about reached its limit. The only true emotional moment demonstrated between Meg Ryan’s character and her dad in this film is when he hugs her and swings her around at a Christmas tree lot. Wow…how deep. Of course, the same Christmas tune that’s played in every Ephron flick chimes out in the background, while characters continue to build “bonds” among one another by making reference to old, quaint movies or movie stars. Stop me…I’m gonna cry again! This film is a mess. The characters are boring and irritating to watch, the plot has something to do with three selfish sisters talking on the phone a whole lot, kind of liking their father (but not really) and then finally realizing the error of their ways, while sharing an “emotional” moment about movie stars from the 50s.

Admittedly, I was not expecting much from a film whose television trailer features Meg Ryan screaming every two seconds and a big dog rolling its eyes, but even I was surprised at the level of ineptitude when it came to some of the acting efforts put forth in this film. Meg did fine as the sister who cries a lot, looking as adorable as ever, but someone please put Lisa Kudrow inside a permanent home of limited range, cause this woman basically IS that very same character that she plays in every single movie/TV show that she’s in. Enough already! And Diane Keaton must’ve spent more time thinking about her role behind the camera in this one, cause her acting was amateurish at best. Neither one convinced in “emotional” scenes. Granted, they gave Walter Matthau the best lines in the film and that’s probably where my rating of three points comes from. All in all, this movie is not funny (unless you’re one to chuckle at train wrecks), provides zero drama (unless you consider loud phone conversations moving), generates absolutely no emotion (although I did tear up when Meg hugged a coffee machine) and ends on a perfectly pretentious note (“Oh no, please don’t get any flour on my Donna Karan dress!). Ugh.

I suggest that all ladies take their husbands/boyfriends to see this movie if they are pissed off at them about something! That’ll teach ’em to mess with you! Oh and incidentally, Mrs. JoBlo also likened this movie to a piece of cow dung flailing in the wind, so there! Then again…maybe you’ll like it. : )

(c) 2021 Berge Garabedian