Welcome to another double-review edition. I saw these two within days of each other, both are directed by women and the titles start and end with the letter ‘F.’ Unfortunately, I’d give one of these movies a big fat ‘F’ grade.

THE FABULOUS FOUR

Female friendship movies are a sub-genre I find appealing, but it’s one that’s tough to get right, especially when it centers on older women over the age of 60. I have yet to see Book Club and its sequel Book Club: The Next Chapter, but I enjoyed 80 for Brady, which also starred Jane Fonda. Similarly, we’ve got another quartet of seasoned ladies: Sheryl Lee Ralph (Kitty), Megan Mullally (Alice), Susan Sarandon (Lou), and Bette Midler (Marilyn).

It’s directed by Australian filmmaker Jocelyn Moorhouse, whose last feature film was the excellent The Dressmaker in 2015 starring Kate Winslet. Pity that Moorhouse didn’t write this, as the script by Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly lacks wit, originality, depth, or anything amiable that’d at least help the cacophony of clichéd dialog to go down easy. Billed as an uproarious comedy, it sure is an unruly party when three of the friends travel to Key West, Florida to attend a surprise wedding of their college girlfriend Marilyn.

It actually starts off amusing enough and the scenes between Mullaly and Ralph occasionally made me laugh. But once they meet the bride-to-be, things go downhill fast as it becomes more and more cringeworthy. It gets to the point where I felt embarrassed for all the talents involved, especially Midler who’s given the most farcical role as a TikTok-obsessed grandma. Poor Bruce Greenwood and Timothy V. Murphy weren’t given anything to do other than to look handsome for the ladies, as is Michael Bolton in a laughable singing cameo.

The story is utterly predictable, as you’d be able to guess the reason for the feud between Lou and Marilyn from miles away, and the ‘twist’ about Marilyn’s husband-to-be makes me roll my eyes. Most of the jokes are crude and unfunny, but the most grating part is the mean-spirited and spiteful jabs against basic virtues and decency, i.e. shameless cougar Alice thinks Kitty’s devout Christian daughter belongs to a cult. There are so many weed-related scenes it’s as if the whole movie was an advert for cannabis. The same could be said about Key West, though the cheap-looking cinematography actually discourages me from visiting that place.

In all, there is nothing remotely fabulous about this movie, even the song and dance finale feels like a copycat of Mamma Mia which handles longtime-female friendships in a much more heartfelt and hilarious way. It’s such a missed opportunity given the talented cast who clearly deserve so much better material. A film that’s supposed to celebrate older women and their longtime friendship ends up being a slapstick farce with no redeeming quality whatsoever.

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FIND ME FALLING

Netflix romcoms don’t have a good track record. Heck, I’m still trying to recover from the dreadful Kissing Booth 2 and A Family Affair (note to self: no more Joey King movies). Yet when I saw the trailer of Find Me Falling came on, I was drawn to it thanks to Harry Connick Jr.’s casting as a has-been rock star and the lovely Cyprus scenery. Well, those two things are still what make watching this one worthwhile.

Written and directed by South African-Cypriot filmmaker Stelana Kliris, the movie starts out in a strangely amusing fashion as Harry’s character John Allman discovers why he got the cliffside house for a great price. Let’s just say the seaside cliff gives a whole new meaning to killer view. Cyprus’ stunning landscape constantly steals the show, DP Roberto Schaefer actually makes you want to instantly book a trip to the beautiful Mediterranean island.

I haven’t seen Connick in any movie since P.S. I Love You back in 2007 which I will say again is an underrated rom-com. I quite like him in that movie, so it’s nice to see the New Orleans-born musician in the lead role. He’s so darn likable even when his character is a curmudgeon recluse and it’s nice that we also get to see him sing here. I’m quite impressed by Ali Fumiko Whitney as the feisty Melina who’s a delivery person by day and tavern singer by night. I like the playful rapport between these two, which is more fun to watch than the supposedly romantic scenes between John and Sia (Agni Scott) a woman from his past.

The reunion story is a popular trope in rom-coms, but it can still feel fresh with ingenious writing. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here. The narrative is as formulaic as any Hallmark or Lifetime movie, which is made worse by the utter lack of chemistry between the two romantic leads. Scott is a beautiful woman but her stoic acting renders her character drab and unsympathetic.

One thing I appreciate is how Kliris blends Cypriot culture, cuisine, and the Greek Orthodox faith into the narrative. The scene with John constructing a fence to prevent people from jumping is a little ridiculous, but it makes for some funny scenarios. The film takes place mostly on the island and features a bunch of local actors, such as Tony Demetriou who plays the friendly local police captain. It reminds me a bit of another Netflix rom-com Faraway which was filmed in Croatia.

Despite the flaws, Find Me Falling has its charms and it’s enjoyable enough for a weekend viewing on a slow night.

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Have you seen either one of these? I’d love to hear what you think!

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