I really looked forward to seeing this film when it was on CBS. It looked like it had all the makings for another classic story of remembering childhood adventures. This is not the case. These girls are cartoonish, rude and crude. I especially found Christina Ricci's character to be totally unlikable, and I usually like anything she's in. I suspect that the writer was an angry feminist because there's a definite undertone of man-bashing throughout the entire movie. All the male figures in the girl's lives are made to seem like abusive baffoons. The only male who gets a fair portrayal is crazy old Pete, the town's street bum. The film goes from bad to worse when the four girls return as grown-up women. Rosie O'Donnell is especially stone-faced and grumpy here. Rita Wilson is as whining and annoying as always. Melanie Griffith is the least obnoxious because she has like two whole lines. And worst of all is Demi Moore. The film totally falls apart right here as Demi tries unsuccessfully to squeeze a tender moment out of all this mess. The plot is so weak. It was never clearly explained as to what Demi's character's problems were. Why did she need to come home and sit in that tree house again? This is never revealed. But trust me, you won't care by this point anyway. The only thing "Now and Then" had going for it was the flashback to 1970. I kinda enjoyed seeing the old fashions and hearing the soundtrack which features artists like the Guess Who and the Jackson Five. I suggest buying the soundtrack and forget seeing this.
Review of Now and Then
