Storyline via Rotten Tomatoes:
The highly anticipated sequel follows our four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure.
Review:
In Book Club: The Next Chapter (on Peacock) the sequel to Book Club, not a single book is read or reviewed— and that’s a good thing. For Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen there proper place is vacationing pals: ogling and commenting on the phallic prowess of classical Roman statuary, proving sex defies age labels and just being golden girls commiserating and having fun in the Italian sun.
I bet every one of the cast signed up for this passable but still enjoyable sequel to get an all expenses paid first class trip to Italy. The plot is barely there— bachelorette party pranks plus getting everyone to the wedding on time. This time it’s to get the lone outlier (Jane Fonda) from the first one happily domesticated with a soulmate.
The never married Diane Keaton would have been a more logical choice but apparently the Annie Hall clone is not interesting enough to drive this kind of plot. So, in the background she stays being the reliable straight man.
The plot filled with vacation mishaps and star power familiarity instead of backstory, adds some emotional weight. When will the stars stop playing roles and start being themselves, the screen personas the audience knows and loves is the real question. My wife waited with glee when Keaton dressed in her standard polka dot couture topped off with Annie Hall accessories. We know what wedding dress Jane Fonda will pick before she does.
Nothing but talking , relating and commiserating is all this cast needs to make sparkly wonderful things on screen. Faces we enjoy must enjoy themselves if we are watching. The next one will hopefully have them chill-axing and enjoying wine.
Book Club: The Next Chapter gets a 3.0 out of 5 or a B.
Credits:
Directed by
Bill Holderman
Written by
- Bill Holderman
Based on
Characters
by Bill Holderman
Erin Simms
Produced by
- Bill Holderman
- Erin Simms
Starring
- Diane Keaton
- Jane Fonda
- Candice Bergen
- Mary Steenburgen
- Craig T. Nelson
- Giancarlo Giannini
- Andy García
- Don Johnson
Cinematography
Edited by
Doc Crotzer
Music by
Production
companies
- Makeready
- Fifth Season
- Apartment Story
Distributed by
- Focus Features(United States)
- Universal Pictures(International)
Release date
- May 12, 2023
Running time
108 minutes[1]
Country
United States
Language
English
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