Here Today (2021) Poster

(2021)

User Reviews

Review this title
106 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
7/10
It's touching and sad and funny and fun
h2315413 May 2021
You know who doesn't like this? Jaded critics who think an entertaining movie is mediocre because of things like pacing, or a minor plot hole and assume that such things ruin a good time. Go see it. Bring tissues.
57 out of 66 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Worth a watch
ReinaMissy12 May 2021
Ignore all the pseudo bored sophisticates who call this sentimental lovefest nonsense. It's a real look at what it means to be family and how we deal with the things we regret as we get older. Yes, some of it falls flat and yes, some of the family scenes seem to move a little too quickly. But it's well intentioned and worth a sit through.
45 out of 52 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Bill and Tiffany gone Hollywood
digiart1210 May 2021
Here Today is a modernized throwback movie. It's typical Billy Crystal and that just fine. It's a nice combination of comedy and drama, with just a couple of big laughs, numerous chuckles and tearjerker drama. The update is Tiffany Haddish (calling to mind Billy's team-up with Gregory Hines) who is great. There's a real chemistry between Billy and Tiffany and that makes it all more fun. It's old fashioned Hollywood and it was a very good time!
41 out of 48 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Billy Crystal wrote, directed, and stars, as a comic writer.
TxMike14 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The actual character is not much of a stretch for Crystal but it was actually patterned after a former older TV comic writer. In this movie he has started to develop characteristics of dementia but withholds it from his family, an adult daughter and an adult son. He continues to walk to work as a comedy writer along with a group of others. But changes in his routine don't work very well.

In a fund-raising event, lunch with him is auctioned off for $22. That is where he meets the wacky younger lady who is an entertainer, a singer. Not in a romantic way they eventually form a quite inseparable bond.

The movie has lots of funny parts but is a serious study on early dementia and family interactions. All roles are done very well.

My wife and I hatched it at home on DVD from our public library. Very entertaining but also very thought provoking.
16 out of 17 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Pure Billy Crystal
yooper3658 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Directed and co-written by Billy Crystal, thus we get his classic style of wit and delivery. Haddish has come into her own as an A-list comedian and here belting out several high energy songs. The film has a comedy troupe that has writers and performers working within a live sketch television show very much like SNL. Charlie is suffering with onset dementia having trouble remembering names, including his own kids, and is having difficulty writing a memoir of his deceased wife who is told in flashbacks. Some of the scenes are very funny, some mildly funny and some that just fall flat. The story turns serious and heart warming when he must confront his memories, his distant children and of course his relationship with Emma. We haven't seen much of Crystal of late, so if your a fan, its a nice little movie.
19 out of 28 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
A celebration of life.
shelg2-334-2262058 August 2021
This new Billy Crystal movie will have you laughing out loud, celebrating a bat mitzvah and the importance of family, watching a friendship flourish and just experiencing life's touching moments and the gamut of human emotions. A good heartwarming story, part comedy, part drama, part musical, well acted and waiting to be enjoyed. Don't miss this film.
8 out of 10 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Not sure why the rating so low
aray002114 August 2021
This was a great movie! It's not giving away anything to say that you will laugh, cry, and grow to love these characters over the two hours. The comedy and classic Billy Crystal one-liners we're the perfect balance to the struggles of an aging gentleman trying to maintain the life he has built over his 40 year career. Tiffany Haddish, in previous roles, can come off as an over the top, stereotypically black-woman-with-an-attitude. But in this movie she plays the perfect new-age comedy yin to Crystals's tried and true 80s/90s classic comedy yang. My wife, I, and the other couple we watched this movie thoroughly enjoyed it and I think you will too.
32 out of 34 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Uneven Comedy Worth Seeing for Billy Crystal
peterscarpinato8 May 2021
It's nice to see Billy Crystal on the big screen again. This film is like spending two hours with an old friend. With that being said, the film is quite good in parts, but the sum parts don't add up to a great film.

Crystal plays a comedy writer who is experiencing the beginning stages of dementia. He keeps this from his family and tries his best to hide it from everyone at work. Tiffany Haddish plays a woman who cashed in on an auction her ex boyfriend won to have lunch with the famous writer. This is despite not knowing who he is and ultimately insulting him frequently. She addresses him as "old man." To make matters worse, a food allergy lands her in the hospital and Crystal gets stuck with the bill. Oddly, a close friendship develops.

Haddish's initial over the top characterization of this woman is ill conceived. We later learn that she is some sort of jazz subway singer. She eventually becomes the voice of reason for Crystal and a major player In his life. But through it all, she never quite becomes a cohesive believable character.

Flashbacks are frequent as Crystal imagines his deceased wife. These are always awkward as the wife seems to be the exact same age in every flashback and Crystal's voice is only heard.

The film has some touching moments and the relationship between Haddish and Crystal does evolve into a sweet friendship. But the schmaltzy moments between Crystal and his family toward the end detracted from their story. The film needed more focus as it tried to cover too much ground in 2 hours.

This is a review so I'm nitpicking. Overall, I did enjoy the film and especially Billy Crystal's fine performance. I believe most audience members will too.
24 out of 39 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
EXCELLENT!!!!!
lenore-957048 May 2021
This is the kind of movie "the rest of us" have been waiting for--no CGI, no auteur sensibilities--just good story telling with tons of belly laughs. We were pleasantly surprised at the depth of Crystal's performance. Both of us immediately thought Oscar Worthy. And, who doesn't love Tiffany Haddish?!?!?!?!
43 out of 53 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
two interesting leads
SnoopyStyle28 September 2021
Veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz (Billy Crystal) is suffering dementia. He has moments when he forgets his closest relations. He has a lunch date with Emma Payge (Tiffany Haddish). Her ex had purchased the lunch at an auction for $22. She notices his difficulty despite trying to hide it from everybody. The two becomes best friends as he deteriorates.

There are some moments of interest and these are two interesting leads. However, sometimes this movie throws in some questionable stuff into the mix. It starts right away with the shellfish allergy. It's obvious that they thought this movie needs some broad physical comedy right away to set a tone. Only it's the wrong tone. It's so much better for some easy back and forth dialogue between Crystal and Haddish. These are two sharp minds and their exchanges have their energy. The shellfish idea is silly to start with and the allergy makes it worst. At most, it shows Charlie's generosity and gives a reason for Emma to keep returning to him. There has to be a better way to show these things. As much as I love the chemistry, this movie keeps taking awkward little turns like Emma spooning Charlie. I don't know any adult doing that due to a storm fear. Imagine a better way. What if Charlie is having a disturbing nightmare and Emma comes in to comfort him? It's not as awkwardly broad and more emotionally satisfying. This movie has two appealing leads and a solid indie story. This land just needs someone to clear out some of under brush. For example, the incredibly single skit is not funny and it's certainly not funny enough to do what it's supposed to do.
10 out of 18 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
1/10
5 minutes is enough
neilprivate11 February 2022
I need a shower to remove the cringe. So many clichés and stereotypes, horrendous acting, dialogue and characters, I can't quite believe that Billy thought this would be acceptable on any level. Someone was ever so careful to be ultra inclusive here, to the point of it being so overt it was cartoon like. The ranking sits at 6.7 as I write, that must include some serious industry boosting. Excruciating.
9 out of 17 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Real Cinema
yusufpiskin11 July 2021
The movie is not for the general audience, nor is it a difficult movie. I loved Billy Crystal's idea of using New York as a theater stage. Because New York itself is in the lead role of the movie. I would buy the blu-ray edition of the movie for myself.

I hope Billy Crystal directs more. We are in an age where we miss cinema (real motion pictures made for cinema).
28 out of 34 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Funny Tear Jerker
stevendbeard10 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I saw "Here Today", starring Billy Crystal-The Comedian, the Analyze This movies; Tiffany Haddish-Like a Boss, Night School; Laura Benanti-Younger_tv, Supergirl_tv and Penn Badgley-Gossip Girl_tv, Easy A.

This is a funny tear jerker that was written & directed by Billy Crystal, who also stars in it. Billy plays an older comedy writer for a tv show. He meets Tiffany, a street singer, for a lunch date-it was supposed to be her boyfriend who had won it in a contest but he couldn't make it-and their relationship begins. Tiffanys' and her boyfriends' ends. Billy & Tiffany become good friends but they are not romantically involved. Laura & Penn are Billy's kids, who both have issues with Billy so they don't speak to him very often. Billy's wife died several years earlier and Billy is beginning to have dementia. Both Billy & Tiffany are funny but the later half of the movie gets into the tear jerking department. There are several cameos; I remember seeing Barry Levinson, Kevin Kline & Sharon Stone in brief parts.

It's rated "PG-13" for language & sexual content-no nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour &57 minutes.

It's not one that I would buy on DVD. It would be alright as a rental.
9 out of 16 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
4/10
Melodrama that drags
catenraymond8 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Billy Crystal plays an aging Jewish comedy writer in the initial stages of Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease, who is trying to hide symptoms of dementia from family and co-workers. Enter Tiffany Haddish, playing the no nonsense, wisecracking Black woman. Occasionally amusing hijinks ensue. A long-festering family conflict plays out in the background.

At nearly two hours running time, the movie drags to a predictable happy ending. Should have been 30 minutes shorter.
6 out of 11 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Heartwarming
ilovefoodcoma11 May 2021
This movie reminded me of my grandma. Same illness.... very heartwarming movie.
15 out of 30 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Here Today
JoBloTheMovieCritic22 May 2021
7/10 - Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish make a convincing if not unexpected comedy duo even though this movie leans more towards being a drama than a comedy.
8 out of 16 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Here Today, Enjoy Tomorrow (and Tomorrow and Tomorrow!)
mikejohnnorris15 May 2021
My wife and I chose this movie to be our 'first' movie date at a cinema since the start of the pandemic; great choice! My wife liked most the friendship portrayed in the two main characters (Haddish and Crystal). I ask myself after a film if I would see it again; I would because the time flew by, keeping me riveted in my seat (quite the feat for a 70 year old drinking soda pop with his popcorn!). Having revealed my age, I would say there's a lot to take from this film for anyone, at any age, because of the strong performances that truly make you see the two leads become friends. If you're about to return to a theatre after streaming for a year, this picture is a LOT better choice than either seeing a monster flatten a city or game characters fight. Real life situations, but with heart. If you go, ENJOY!
36 out of 46 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Sticky Goopy
drednm7 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This is a comedy that turns into a Hallmark sticky goopy. Billy Crystal stars as a comedy writer who works on an incredibly unfunny cable TV sketch comedy show that ads tell us is #1. He has dementia but drugs are enabling him to function. He meets a woman (Tiffany Haddish) who won a raffle to have lunch with him. They form an unlikely friendship.

Much of the film entails flashbacks that show us his life with his wife from 40 years ago. He's sort of a Neil Simon writer with hit movies and Broadway plays but he's been writing for this lame SNL clone for decades. He's hidden his dementia from his kids and they are resentful of his friendship with the younger woman. And that's about it. The last third of the film turns maudlin as Crystal gets the expected bad news and we go all sticky goopy.

Crystal is fine (and co-wrote the script) but Haddish is a bit much at times. Supporting cast is unremarkable as are cameos by Sharon Stone and Kevin Kline.

There's a brief look at a photoshopped picture of comedy legends Imogene Coca, Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, and Howard with Crystal added in, supposedly from his early writing days. But I'm afraid their prime time on TV was long before Crystal's character would have been a writer.

Anyway.
10 out of 23 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
I can't..
ks-6050018 August 2021
Watching this just makes my tear come out constantly even it's a comedy. Don't know why it just came out. Can't hold it.
5 out of 10 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Excellent
jawskippy8 May 2021
We loved this movie. It was tender and loving and sweet and funny in all the right places. Very well cast, also.
37 out of 48 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Great see Billy Crystal again
rannynm14 May 2021
Here Today is different from any film I have ever watched before, with lots of humor and scenes more suited for older kids and adults.

When veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz (Billy Crystal) meets New York street singer Emma Payge (Tiffany Haddish) and they form a different and hilarious friendship that is carried throughout the film. It proves that different ages can't stop friendship and makes us believe in love and trust.

There are quite a few amazing things in this film. At the very beginning there is a scene where Charlie is walking all the way to his work. This scene is important because Charlie has Dementia and can't always remember things, so he needs a route with familiar markers so he knows where he is going. This comes into play later when there is a scene where he is told to take a detour and he doesn't know how to get to work that day because he is told to take a different route. There is a church scene with lots of people, which was impressive. The amount of extras needed to make that scene would be tremendous. There are also flashbacks and scenes where we see the past when Charlie is writing. I love the location near the end when they are in a forest. These scenes look like a dream, and their clarity impressed me. One of my favorite scenes is when the company Charlie works for is making a news report and Charlie comes in and says the guy hosting the show is saying all the words wrong and Charlie makes an unintentional comedic remark.

The message of this film is that friendship and love can topple all. Parents should know that there are some inappropriate scenes such as a scene where they stick an epipen in and do it wrong and Emma has an allergic reaction she looks kind of creepy which might scare some kids and some profanity.

I give Here Today 3 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 14 to 18, plus adults. Check it out. Reviewed by Avalon N., KIDS FIRST!
3 out of 10 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
4/10
Haddish ruins the movie
trevnort8 July 2021
Tiffany Haddish is so overrated and just annoying. I get her character is supposed to be the loud black girl but shes not funny as that cast type in this either. Was excited to see Crystal but she just ruined too many scenes.
14 out of 33 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
A BEAUTIFUL, TOUCHING TALE OF A TRAGIC FACT OF LIFE!
plasmapilot17 August 2021
This sad saga was balanced well with just the right degree of humor. I smiled, laughed & related with these marvelous characters. Everything about this film filled me with joy...even the downside boosted my spirits. An honest, heartfelt portrayal of something that might eventually touch everyone in some way. Billy Crystal was hilarious as always but he also displayed his "acting chops" within the drama. Tiffany Haddish was excellent as well and her chemistry with Billy was evident. I can't think of time better spent!
22 out of 27 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Very very soppy
Overpampered overrich over-self-obsessed cringe-making

Billy Crystal in Analyse This / Analyse That in collabs with Pryor yes

Here no

Unwatchable outside America

Unconvincing too. Is it trying to make this a dementia info movie or is it not?

His family story is trite and fairly ridiculous. His 2 kids awful actors both. His defunct wife even worse

Tiffany is great but what is she doing here?

Overrich old Jewish comedians have all got young black friends nowadays. See Larry David for exact same. Guilt-trip? Trying to buy hipness?

Just unlikely considering the history of those 2 groups since forever

ANYWAY. This film is NOT awful. Watched it to the end. Bit Mills and Boons (British reference) Bit naff. Bit why bother. Bit really? Why? Who thought it was a good idea? Watch it see what you think. Not a 2 and certainly not a 10 as some have rated it. Too average.
3 out of 11 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
4/10
Very slow
nowishop10 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I don't walk out of many movies, this one alas did not grip me.

Was it the American Humour that did not work?

Lots of unreal actions, you'd know by a certain age if you were allergic to shell fish.

Sorry Billy, you were fab in Soap.
4 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
An error has occured. Please try again.

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed