Written by: Bill Holderman & Erin Simms
Starring: Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson
Rating: [3/5]
The love we have for certain actors can certainly cloud our judgment, even when they find themselves in films that may not be up to snuff. A love that works as a blinder that allows all else to fall away because we get to see these individuals have fun on-screen, and that has never been more the case than Book Club: The Next Chapter. A film with a host of issues, but seeing this quartet of ladies having fun truly never gets old.
After enduring the dredges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Diane (Diane Keaton), Vivian (Jane Fonda), Sharon (Candice Bergen), and Carol (Mary Steenburgen) gather once again with many changes in their lives. With Vivian’s engagement, the girls decide they will take a trip to Italy together where they hope to make up for time lost.
Knowing the level of success of the last film, it came as no surprise we would see yet another adventure for these four ladies, and on this occasion they go international. All beginning with their club reading some spicy books together for pleasure that further solidified their relationships and now they get to travel abroad as a form of celebration of Vivian’s impending marriage. It further flips the script on what we perceive of women going on a bachelorette trip. Instead of it consisting of 20 or 30-year-olds, we have women in their 70s and 80s, which makes their shenanigans a bit funnier. Getting catcalled by Italian men at their age typically does not receive the same attention, but it makes their reaction to it adds something different, as they certainly are not used to that type of treatment back at home. This then devolves into even more nonsense that transpires where they encounter thieves, Italian police, and everything people love and fear about travelling around the world, but we get to experience it with these lovely ladies.
With the travels to Italy, the film does make one question if they even shot on location. This skepticism does not necessarily make itself evident because the film was shot in a country made to look like Italy but rather the obvious use of green screen. This happened primarily around the famous Roman monuments such as the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. Perhaps getting the proper ability to shoot there without the massive crowds did not fit within the film’s budget, but it looked pretty bad in those moments and not in a cheesy way either, further displaying elements of this film essentially being mailed in by the individuals crafting it.
In spite of the shoddy production in moments, this film still had some good arcs for these characters to follow. Vivian, in her voyage to getting married, deals with things brides do, but with the added twist of being an elderly woman going through it. Sharon has now retired from her career as a judge and must find a way to transition to this next new phase of her life. Carol’s husband has had a heart attack, which leaves her dismayed at anything that could cause even the slightest bit of stress in his life. This trip to Italy places them in uncomfortable situations but also comedic in addition to furthering them along in the journey their life has been thus far and where it will continue.
While hitting pretty much all the beats one would expect from following the story of these four women following the previous film, Book Club: The Next Chapter has its glaring deficiencies, but it has so much to enjoy that counteracts it. Each of these women have gone through things during a time a high isolation, and this trip allows them to enjoy life in a way they could not for a while. There are nicely emotional moments here that continue to piece together that serves as the strong balance to the more wacky comedic moments that we can come to expect when following these women. If one’s already in the bag for these ladies, then finding too much to dislike would come as a difficulty, but even for all of its problems overall I found plenty to enjoy when it comes to watching Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen having a blast in Italy.
Films with Josh 
