Here Today

Helming a theatrical feature for the first time since 1995's Forget Paris, Billy Crystal is also the star of a film that follows ageing comedy writer Charlie Burnz. Diagnosed with dementia, he is keeping it from his family and co-workers. However, when he strikes up a new friendship with younger singer Emma (Tiffany Haddish), her no-nonsense attitude makes mincemeat of Charlie's attempts to deny his condition. The film works best in the early scenes that document the characters' burgeoning bond, but the flat direction and fluctuating performances struggle to lift a film that has a tendency toward the saccharine. Particularly ill-judged are the flashbacks recalling Charlie's dead wife (Louisa Krause), and the will-they-won't-they nature of Emma and Charlie's relationship. Penned by Crystal and Alan Zweibel, based on Zweibel's short story, Here Today struggles to convince when it kicks into a more emotional gear and, ultimately, the weighty issues overwhelm a film that seems more comfortable in a minor key.