Moving On
Moving On
Starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Malcolm McDowell, Richard Roundtree
Directed by Paul Weitz
Starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Malcolm McDowell, Richard Roundtree
Directed by Paul Weitz
One of the major components that will make or break a film is the chemistry between the cast, whether platonic or romantic. If the actors involved in a project aren't that close in real life, no matter how good of an actor they are, it shows in the product - but if you got actors who know each other so well, have worked together for decades, and can easily work off one another, you've got something truly special. Thus is the relationship between Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, who've been starring in films together since 1980's "9 to 5," and have even starred in the long-running Netflix comedy series "Grace and Frankie" where both women have earned countless award nominations for their performances. Earlier this year they also starred in the surprise comedy hit "80 for Brady," and now they get together again for "Moving On," a dramedy that feels like an elongated "Grace and Frankie" episode that does the most with its short runtime by offering Tomlin's classic deadpan humor with Fonda's Oscar-worthy acting ability in a story that really sheds light on trauma and how the ripples of it last years - even decades - later.
Claire (Jane Fonda) is a twice-divorced grandmother who lives on her own, and struggles with relationships. When she finds out that her college best friend Joyce died, she travels from Ohio to California for the funeral, where she runs into Joyce's husband Howard (Malcolm McDowell), and immediately says she's going to kill him now that Joyce is gone. Then she runs into her other college friend Evelyn (Lily Tomlin), and she agrees to help Claire kill Howard, as she struggles with her own secrets. As the women hatch their plan, Claire's first husband Ralph (Richard Roundtree) returns, and old feelings return to the surface - but nothing will stop Claire from achieving her plan, getting the ultimate revenge for something Howard did to her 46 years ago.
"Moving On" is interesting in the fact that it blends comedy and drama in a way that doesn't always land like it should: on one hand it seems that it makes light of Claire's assault, but on the other it pays it the heavy weight its due. It might seem like a comedy of errors as Claire tries to kill him (including trying to find a gun, poison, or anything - and settling for a flare gun), but the motive is nothing to laugh about. Director and writer Paul Weitz is careful to tread lightly on the sensitive topic, but it doesn't mean the whole film is a serious one. While Claire is obviously the most serious, Evelyn is more deadpan and sarcastic, adding the much-needed humor to the dark proceedings.
Jane Fonda is one of cinema's most iconic and acclaimed actresses, and she's continually proved that time hasn't squashed her talent. She plays Claire with this sadness that echoes, a woman who was never able to live her life because she was haunted by what Howard did to her 46 years ago (in the film's most powerful moment, when she finally confronts Howard about what he did, he dismisses it by saying it was 45 years ago, to which she quickly retorts that it was 46, because she never forgot it). You feel for her character because she's been through her own emotional hell, not telling anyone (other than Evelyn) what happened to her because she felt no one would believe her - proving that, although there's been major strides toward equality, we still have a long way to go. Even Claire's stance is rigid, remaining stiff as if she's about to either burst out in tears or go on a murderous rampage, depending who's around when it happens.
Lily Tomlin, like Fonda, is one of cinema's most iconic and acclaimed actresses, also proving time has no effect on her talent. She performs to her strengths as Evelyn, a no-nonsense, say-what-she-thinks individual who's always forward thinking (a powerful moment where she interacts with a young boy who's visiting his grandfather is subtly moving), yet even though she has a tough facade, she still harbors secrets that would affect her ego. She wants Claire to think she's still got it all - the house, the cello, the symphonies she plays at - but it's all smoke and mirrors hiding the deep fear that Evelyn has that she's gotten past her prime. So when it comes time to help Claire, she's all too willing to help her friend.
The third actor in this triangle of sadness is Malcolm McDowell, who gives a dark performance as Howard, a man who at first appears to be grieving his dead wife, but as the film progresses we see the darker side of his nature, culminating with the confrontation with Claire that makes him out to be the monster he is. While his character isn't given as much depth as Claire and Evelyn, Howard serves as the human form for anyone who's been sexually assaulted in their past, and it's evil to the core.
Still, despite these great performances, the film felt a bit flat in its storytelling ability. The story circled around itself too much, and in the end it felt more like a longer episode of a series than a full-fledged film. Despite this, thanks to the timeless performances, it's one that should be watched and appreciated for what it is - even if you won't remember it down the line.
The Score: B-
Claire (Jane Fonda) is a twice-divorced grandmother who lives on her own, and struggles with relationships. When she finds out that her college best friend Joyce died, she travels from Ohio to California for the funeral, where she runs into Joyce's husband Howard (Malcolm McDowell), and immediately says she's going to kill him now that Joyce is gone. Then she runs into her other college friend Evelyn (Lily Tomlin), and she agrees to help Claire kill Howard, as she struggles with her own secrets. As the women hatch their plan, Claire's first husband Ralph (Richard Roundtree) returns, and old feelings return to the surface - but nothing will stop Claire from achieving her plan, getting the ultimate revenge for something Howard did to her 46 years ago.
"Moving On" is interesting in the fact that it blends comedy and drama in a way that doesn't always land like it should: on one hand it seems that it makes light of Claire's assault, but on the other it pays it the heavy weight its due. It might seem like a comedy of errors as Claire tries to kill him (including trying to find a gun, poison, or anything - and settling for a flare gun), but the motive is nothing to laugh about. Director and writer Paul Weitz is careful to tread lightly on the sensitive topic, but it doesn't mean the whole film is a serious one. While Claire is obviously the most serious, Evelyn is more deadpan and sarcastic, adding the much-needed humor to the dark proceedings.
Jane Fonda is one of cinema's most iconic and acclaimed actresses, and she's continually proved that time hasn't squashed her talent. She plays Claire with this sadness that echoes, a woman who was never able to live her life because she was haunted by what Howard did to her 46 years ago (in the film's most powerful moment, when she finally confronts Howard about what he did, he dismisses it by saying it was 45 years ago, to which she quickly retorts that it was 46, because she never forgot it). You feel for her character because she's been through her own emotional hell, not telling anyone (other than Evelyn) what happened to her because she felt no one would believe her - proving that, although there's been major strides toward equality, we still have a long way to go. Even Claire's stance is rigid, remaining stiff as if she's about to either burst out in tears or go on a murderous rampage, depending who's around when it happens.
Lily Tomlin, like Fonda, is one of cinema's most iconic and acclaimed actresses, also proving time has no effect on her talent. She performs to her strengths as Evelyn, a no-nonsense, say-what-she-thinks individual who's always forward thinking (a powerful moment where she interacts with a young boy who's visiting his grandfather is subtly moving), yet even though she has a tough facade, she still harbors secrets that would affect her ego. She wants Claire to think she's still got it all - the house, the cello, the symphonies she plays at - but it's all smoke and mirrors hiding the deep fear that Evelyn has that she's gotten past her prime. So when it comes time to help Claire, she's all too willing to help her friend.
The third actor in this triangle of sadness is Malcolm McDowell, who gives a dark performance as Howard, a man who at first appears to be grieving his dead wife, but as the film progresses we see the darker side of his nature, culminating with the confrontation with Claire that makes him out to be the monster he is. While his character isn't given as much depth as Claire and Evelyn, Howard serves as the human form for anyone who's been sexually assaulted in their past, and it's evil to the core.
Still, despite these great performances, the film felt a bit flat in its storytelling ability. The story circled around itself too much, and in the end it felt more like a longer episode of a series than a full-fledged film. Despite this, thanks to the timeless performances, it's one that should be watched and appreciated for what it is - even if you won't remember it down the line.
The Score: B-
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