Movie Review: Moving On

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A well-made, if quite flawed, dark comedy-drama. 

Despite being a film that features Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as a comedy duo (which they have been multiple times before), this movie tackles a pretty dark and grim subject matter. The duo have lost a dear friend that had been close to both of them. However since their friends' husband raped one of them and they can no longer hurt their friend, they decide to kill the husband. This is a very weighty type of story and one that can in many ways make you feel uncomfortable, but the film is also a comedy at the same time. Both the drama and the comedy are excellent, however they do not always go well together. There are times when the film goes straight from a darkly dramatic scene that is immediately followed by a lightly comic one. Often times the comic scene is funny, but it feels completely out of place at that part in the story. There are also times where a lightly comic scene is immediately followed by a darkly dramatic one. This transition can also feel awkward and jarring. However this does not in any way change how well made both the comedic scenes and the dramatic ones are. This film touches on important subject matters and provides a wonderful commentary on them. Not only does this film talk about sexual abuse, but it also talks about interracial relationships, the feeling that one needs to hide their sexual ordination and growing old alone. All of these subjects are treated with the utmost respect and intelligence. It is true that all of this has been talked about in many film's before, yet this film never feels derivative of those other movies. This movie also talks about each of these subjects in a way that flows naturally from the story and the characters. Because of this it conveys its messages very well, while never feeling preachy. The comedy is very funny and I laughed more at this film than I thought I would going in. Many of these jokes are quite clever but never cleverer than they are funny. Much of the humor also works because of the wonderful chemistry between Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. As many of you know, these two can play off each other quite well and make a great comedy team. The delivery is often just as funny as the jokes themselves. Both the dramatic and comedic scenes benefit from this movie's wonderful cast. Not only are Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin wonderful, but the supporting cast is also wonderful including Malcolm McDowell and Richard Roundtree, both of whom are fantastic. There is also great chemistry between Jane Fonda and Richard Roundtree and the scenes they share together are a delight to watch. 

All the elements of this movie are great, but unfortunately they don't always work together and can often seem at odds with one another.