book club movie review rotten tomatoes

Book Club: The Next Chapter

Four brilliant, accomplished, gorgeous female actors play four friends who take a bachelorette trip to Italy in this dumb, dull, dud of a waste of their time and ours. I’ll bet the actors had a lot more fun when they were just hanging out between scenes than anyone will in watching the movie. In one brief scene, the characters visit some of Italy’s magnificent ancient Roman statues, and all the script gives them to say are middle school-level dick jokes. What those characters do to those classic works of art is what the script does to the women who play them. Both deserve much, much better. And boy, so do we. 

Like Smurfs, each character gets just one attribute. The male characters all get the same one: unconditional adoration of the fabulous creature to whom they are lucky enough to be able to devote their full time and attention because they have no other interests, wishes, obligations, or, indeed, reasons to exist except to be Perfect Boyfriend (PB). It’s a dumbed-down, glammed-up “Golden Girls.”

Once again, Jane Fonda plays the free-spirited, sex-positive hotel executive, Blanche, I mean Samantha, I mean Vivian. Her PB is Arthur ( Don Johnson ). Candice Bergen is the now-retired judge. Diane Keaton is the, oh, I don’t know, they just had Diane Keaton play her dithery fallback persona, the one who loves wide belts, crinolines, and polka dots. Her PB is Mitchell ( Andy Garcia ), the man she met in the last movie. Mary Steenburgen is Carol. She is happily married to Bruce ( Craig T. Nelson ), but he is recovering from a heart attack, and she is worried and perhaps over-protective. 

Oh, boy, pandemic humor! If you think that means shots of Zoom calls with people trying to understand the mute button and turn off the filter, you are right. If you think that’s fresh or funny, you might enjoy this movie. Maybe. There are also useless pandemic-era activities like a new pet and a new musical instrument intended to be charming or funny. They are neither. The last movie’s cute elevator pitch was, “A bunch of old but sexy ladies read  50 Shades of Gray .” They jettison the concept of an actual book club this time, but apparently, they all read Paulo Coelho’s  The Alchemist . Instead of snickering jokes about bondage, there are woo-woo references to destiny.

Viv’s PB impulsively proposes to her, and the woman who never wanted to get married suddenly finds herself engaged. The friends decide to celebrate with a trip to Italy before the wedding. If you think this means a shot of them walking toward us in slow-motion like a cutesy version of “ The Right Stuff ” and the dozens, possibly hundreds, of movies that have imitated that shot ever since, you are right. If you think that’s adorable, you might enjoy this film. Maybe.

In one of the world’s most beautiful countries with some of the world’s most legendary historic art and architecture, the women get up to all kinds of silly hijinks that could just as easily happen at home. A mis-sent photo might be misinterpreted! Oh, no! They get thrown in jail. They get thrown in jail again! Same sheriff ( Giancarlo Giannini , slumming)! How funny is that? Not!

Co-written by director Bill Holderman and Erin Simms , the film even fails the Bechdel test. These characters have almost nothing to say to each other except for how much they love (1) each other and (2) men. Plus, a few “jokes” about getting older. 

And there’s a finding a bridal gown scene. If you think that means a montage where, “ Friends “-style, everyone gets to try on dresses, you’re right. If you think it’s funny, maybe you’ll enjoy this movie. If you think there are “life is what you make it” comments, a farewell to a late husband, and a last-minute switch that makes no sense whatsoever, you’re right. But you’ll be better off with “ 80 for Brady .”

In theaters on Friday, May 12. 

Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com.

• Diane Keaton as Diane
• Candice Bergen as Sharon
• Jane Fonda as Vivian
• Mary Steenburgen as Carol
• Andy García as Mitchell
• Craig T. Nelson as Bruce
• Don Johnson as Arthur

Cinematographer

• Andrew Dunn
• Bill Holderman
• Doc Crotzer

Leave a comment

Now playing.

Daddy’s Head

Terrifier 3

Falling Stars

Lonely Planet

We Live in Time

Piece by Piece

Saturday Night

The Apprentice

Latest articles.

Chicago International Film Festival Pays Tribute to Hirokazu Kore-Eda

Apple TV+’s “Shrinking” Really Starts Putting the Pieces Together in Second Season

Criterion Adds Val Lewton Double Feature to the Collection

When You’re Angry, You’re Already Losing: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson on “Rumours”

The best movie reviews, in your inbox.

‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ Review: Friendship, Food, and Fun Unite a Fierce Foursome

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

'Joy' Review: Netflix's IVF Movie Is Too Interested in Being a Jolly Good Time | LFF 2024

'rebel moon' director’s cut review: somehow, zack snyder’s netflix movies got worse, ‘smile 2' review: a stellar horror sequel that improves on the terrifying original.

Five years and one pandemic after Book Club introduced audiences to the heartfelt and hilarious story of four women reconnecting and reinventing their lives while drinking wine and reading Fifty Shades of Grey together, Book Club: The Next Chapter sends that fiercely funny foursome on a new adventure to Italy. The Next Chapter could’ve easily side-stepped the last four years, but instead, it embraces the unique challenges the pandemic posed. It’s not the first “post-pandemic” film to pull from the friend groups rallying behind Zoom to keep sane— Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery most recently tapped into this phenomenon —but it is the first to play up the hilarity of watching an older demographic try to figure it all out together.

When we reunite with Vivian ( Jane Fonda ), Carol ( Mary Steenburgen ), Sharon ( Candice Bergen ), and Diane ( Diane Keaton ) very little has changed with who they are as people and friends, but each one of them has faced a life-changing situation, ranging from retirement to engagement, to pet loss and heart attacks. Of course, it’s the engagement that really steers the direction of the sequel, as commitment-phobe Vivian and Arthur ( Don Johnson ) decide to finally tie the knot, prompting the four women to jet off to Italy for the girl’s trip slash bachelorette party of their dreams.

While Vivan and Arthur step into a new phase in their relationship, The Next Chapter does ultimately retread familiar story beats from the first film, particularly with Vivan’s reluctance to give up her freedom. They may be in a committed relationship, but there are clear sticking points for her which Arthur ultimately does accept, just as he did in Book Club . It’s not exactly to the detriment of the script, but it is familiar in the sense that Vivan has passed a point where she’s open or willing to change her relationship boundaries. Despite the fact that Vivan’s story is very much the driving force of the film, it’s actually Carol’s story that proves to be a stand-out, anchored by a very honest performance by Steenburgen.

RELATED: The Ladies of 'Book Club: The Next Chapter' Flaunt Their Style in New Character Posters

In the time between the two films, Carol and her husband Bruce ( Craig T. Nelson ) have faced a number of setbacks. First, her beloved restaurant, like so many in real-life, was forced to close due to the strain of pandemic closures and economic turmoil, and then Bruce spent some time in the hospital due to a heart attack that very nearly killed him. Carol has a tight grip on her emotions and an even tighter grip on Bruce, which puts a noticeable strain on their relationship. That strain is further compounded by a chance encounter with an old cooking school flame, which pushes Carol to reassess several aspects of her life.

Even if the film weren’t set in Italy, relationships and romance are the lifeblood of both Book Club films, but even more so in The Next Chapter . While Vivan wars with her conflicting feelings about marriage and Carol faces her fears, Sharon finds herself swept up in a whirlwind romance with the charming Hugh Quarshie , who helps all of them embrace Italy in new ways, and Diane is forced to let go of her past and look toward her future with Mitchell ( Andy Garcia ). It’s very entertaining to see how each of the women tackle these relatable life experiences—with humor and not always grace. The Next Chapter may tie things up in a perfect bow by the end, but there’s still a healthy dose of imperfection which makes each character endlessly endearing.

The Book Club universe scratches the same itch that series like Grace and Frankie or films like Moving On or 80 For Brady do—and not just because they all feature unforgettable performances from Jane Fonda. Not only is female friendship the heart and soul of these titles, but they all make a point of saying that women over sixty can still be hot, sexy, and the makers of their own destinies. Too often on screen, and unfortunately in real life too, women reach a certain age and find themselves relegated to the title of “mom” or “grandmother,” and completely stripped of the idea that they can be sexy. While men over forty are still headlining in action-hero roles and wooing their much younger female love interests, women over forty are vanishing from the screen at an alarming rate . Book Club: The Next Chapter may be nothing more than feel-good matinée fodder to most, but for women—of all ages—it’s a little beacon of light in the dark.

Bill Holderman and Erin Simms ’ script is oftentimes rather predictable in the way it sets up each plot point, but it never fails to entertain. There are moments that illicit quiet chuckling and full-body laughter, sometimes within the same scene! The drama is quite mild, leaning on situational conflict rather than interpersonal conflict, and the resolutions are always sweet. Their writing caters to each actress’ strengths, allowing their comedic timing and chemistry to flow naturally. A film like The Next Chapter isn’t supposed to be earth-shattering, it’s meant to entertain and it does tenfold.

Book Club: The Next Chapter is a raucously funny movie that will leave audiences ready to grab their gal pals and set off on an adventure to Italy. If they can’t swing the trip, they’ll be grabbing them to see this film again. From the stunning locations to the gorgeous clothes (that are tragically too expensive for most people to shop the look for) the film delivers on a good time.

Book Club: The Next Chapter arrives in theaters on May 12.

• Movie Reviews
• Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023)

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Book Club: The Next Chapter

Follows the new journey of four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls trip they never had. Follows the new journey of four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls trip they never had. Follows the new journey of four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls trip they never had.

• Bill Holderman
• Diane Keaton
• Candice Bergen
• 76 User reviews
• 86 Critic reviews
• 46 Metascore

Top cast 31

• Police Chief

• Chef Gianni

• Police Officer
• Street Artist

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia When they are trying on masks, one character says, "It's very Christian Grey." Don Johnson 's daughter Dakota Johnson plays Christian Grey's love interest in the Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) trilogy. E.L. James ' books are the basis for the plot of the original film.

Sharon : Life is what you make of it. So do something. Do something brave. Do something unexpected. But do something, because you have four women in a jail cell who are desperately hoping for a reason to believe there's still a reason to believe. So do something, goddammit, because this isn't the end of the freaking story.

• Crazy credits The first half of the credits represents the whole movie in a nutshell in drawings. The 2nd half of the credits presents a slideshow of photos of behind-the-scenes footage. Mary Steenburgen 's real-life husband, Ted Danson , appears in a couple of them.
• Connections Featured in Brad Tries Podcasting: Book Club 2/Knights of the Zodiac/Blackberry (2023)
• Soundtracks American Girl Written by Tom Petty Performed by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Courtesy of Gone Gator Records By arrangement with Wixen Music

User reviews 76

• kerimtezcan
• May 10, 2023
• How long is Book Club: The Next Chapter? Powered by Alexa
• May 12, 2023 (United States)
• United States
• Focus Features
• Book Club 2: The Next Chapter
• Apartment Story
• Fifth Season
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $20,000,000 (estimated)
• $17,581,565
• May 14, 2023
• $29,014,500

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 47 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.

‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ Review: Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton and Friends Voyage to Italy for a Cookie-Cutter Sequel That Gets Sweetly Romantic

The stakes seem a bit lower as our heroines take a bachelorette vacation. But the actors put it over.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

• ‘Smile 2’ Review: A Skillfully Disquieting Sequel Turns the Life of a Pop Star Into a Horror Ride of Mental Breakdown 2 hours ago
• ‘Suburban Fury’ Review: Sara Jane Moore, Who Tried to Assassinate President Ford, Gets Her Own Self-Centered, Radical-Chic Documentary 2 days ago
• Why Did ‘The Apprentice’ Bomb? Maybe Because the Most Chilling Thing About Donald Trump Is Offscreen 3 days ago

Related Stories

The Time Bomb Ticking Beneath the CTV Advertising Boom

Spanish Radio Host Don Cheto on Mobilizing Latin Voters and His 20-Year Legacy On-Air: It's 'My Responsibility to Evolve'

Popular on variety.

Steenburgen’s Carol, always the most settled and content of the four, has lost her restaurant in the pandemic’s economic downturn, but she’s fine with that change of life. The real conflict that besets her has to do with her husband, Craig T. Nelson’s crusty old bear Bruce, who has had a heart attack. He came through it fine, but she’s so frightened of losing him that she’s got him on a joyless diet and a general vibe of overprotected severity that’s messing with their mostly idyllic marriage. And Bergen’s Sharon? Having reconnected with her amorous side, she has now retired from the bench, which has left her at loose ends.

These are not exactly situations and conflicts destined to erupt into explosive comic drama. The premise of “The Next Chapter” is that our heroines, after too much hemming and hawing, decide to follow their bliss, live a little dangerously and take a senior bachelorette voyage to Italy, all to celebrate Vivian’s impending wedding. Given the lush Continental setting, you could easily envision a film that was “Eat, Pray, Love” x 4 + 16 added decades of life experience. A kind of seniors-go-wild romantic travelogue meets Katharine Hepburn in “Summertime.”

But once the friends arrive in Italy, “The Next Chapter” turns into a series of staid and unremarkable adventures. The original film reveled in its real-estate porn. This one has location porn (the architectural splendors of Rome, the mystic majesty of Venice, the Edenic tranquility of Tuscany), alcohol porn (late-night rounds of Prosecco and grappa), and, in one shopping sequence, wedding-dress porn. All fine, though none of it quite adds up to a movie.

At a hotel bar, Sharon meets an expatriate retired philosophy professor (Hugh Quarshie), and just as she tapped her inner freak in “Book Club” by having sex in the back of her car, here the two go at it in the back of a water taxi. But it’s just a momentary fling (which feels a bit off; Hugh Quarshie is an appealing enough actor to seem worthy of more permanent placement). At a dinner party thrown as a lush garden restaurant in Venice, Carol learns that the chef (Vincent Riotta) is none other than her old teacher at culinary school. Is there a spark between them? For a moment the movie leads us to believe she might stray, but it’s all squashed by an elaborate version of one of those double-entendre jokes (this one is about “pulling dough”) that the “Book Club” movies can’t get enough of.  

Reviewed at Universal Screening Room, May 1, 2023. MPA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 107 MIN.

• Production: A Focus Features release of an Apartment Story production, in association with Fifth Season. Producers: Erin Simms, Bill Holderman. Executive producers: Brad Weston, Trish Hoffman, Enzo Sisti, Andrew Duncan.
• Crew: Director: Bill Holderman. Screenplay: Bill Holderman, Erin Simms. Camera: Andrew Dunn. Editor: Doc Crotzer. Music: Tom Howe.
• With: Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen, Don Johnson, Andy Garcia, Craig T. Nelson, Giancarlo Giannini, Hugh Quarshie, Vincent Riotta.

More from Variety

Anne Hathaway Apologizes to Reporter After Their Cringey 2012 Interview Resurfaced: ‘She Sent a Long Email Explaining’ Her Behavior During ‘Awful’ Chat

Late-Night TV vs. YouTube: Data-Driven Tips on Which Is Better for Celebs Promoting Films

Despite ‘Joker’ Folly and ‘The Penguin’ Success, DC Studios Still Untested

More from our brands, republicans tell trump that elon musk’s super pac is blowing it.

We Wore the New Moser x Massena LAB Pioneer Chronograph Compax—Here’s What It Was Like

Endeavor Document Sees 70% Sales Growth by 2028, TKO to $3.8B

The Best Loofahs and Body Scrubbers, According to Dermatologists

Chicago Med’s Sarah Ramos Teases Lenox’s Backstory, Reveals How Bear Co-Star Welcomed Her to NBC Drama

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ Review: You’re Going to Need a Lot of Wine to Enjoy This Sloppy Sequel

Kate erbland, editorial director.

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on LinkedIn
• Show more sharing options
• Submit to Reddit
• Post to Tumblr
• Print This Page
• Share on WhatsApp

In 2018, when Bill Holderman’s directorial debut “Book Club” first hit the big screen , this writer wondered — not entirely facetiously — how high the amiable comedy’s white wine budget must have been. After all, most of the action of the star-studded feature unfolded in cozy living rooms and swanky hotels (read: sets on top of sets), with many of these locales being positively sloshed on, over, and under with light libations.

Blindingly overlit, incoherently edited, and rife with baffling plot contrivances, the disappointing “Book Club: The Next Chapter” still manages to maintain the heart of its original story, but that only seems to be thanks to the chemistry of its central foursome. Predictable entanglements and uninspired gags — stolen luggage, leering at iconic statues of naked people, mistaking an attractive man in uniform for a stripper, the whole dumb American tourist gamut, really — are interspersed with genuinely moving and valuable insights into what it means to grow older, especially as a woman.

All of these women are sharp, desirable, endearing, complicated, funny, sexy, smart, and messy. Their bond is strong, their lives are not over, and some of the lessons they are forced to learn hold actual resonance beyond the big screen. It’s too bad then that so much of what we  see  on the big screen detracts from the story and characters at its heart.

When they’re finally reunited — a stilted affair that feels oddly bloodless — they’re juiced up on “reading the signs” and dealing with troublesome fate (they did just finish “The Alchemist,” after all)  and  the revelation that the perpetually single-and-loving-it Vivian (Fonda) is engaged to her paramour from the first film (returning co-star Don Johnson, as Arthur). Resident planner Carol (Steenburgen, effervescent as ever) is still reeling from the loss of her restaurant and a scary heart attack that almost took her cute husband Bruce (Craig T. Nelson), and she’s got an idea, dammit: The foursome will take the trip to Italy they dreamed of decades ago, long before real life got in the way.

Everyone reacts differently. Vivian doesn’t want to upset Arthur. Diane (Keaton) is terrified of leaving her neatly arranged life (including her own boyfriend, Andy Garcia, back as Mitchell). Sharon (Bergen) can’t leave behind her cat, goddammit. Soon enough, fate (sorry) aligns to convince the ladies they need to go, and  now.  As they bounce between cities (weirdly, the whole aim of the trip is to go to Tuscany, though the foursome soon engages in repeated demands to mix up the itinerary, padding out an already too-long feature), they have tons of fun and  reckon with their own mortality. More Prosecco, please!

As the journey at hand finally finds some semblance of direction — albeit one most viewers will see coming from a mile off — the charms ramp up. These are characters we want to see happy, fulfilled, and having fun. The conclusion of “Book Club: The Next Chapter” provides that. But most of the pages leading up to it? They need another draft. Wine might help, too.

Focus Features will release “Book Club: The Next Chapter” in theaters on Friday, May 12.

Most Popular

You may also like.

‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ is a Predictable but Fun Character-Driven Sequel

While the ‘Book Club’ sequel is very predictable, the character-driven story really works, thanks to fun performances from Keaton, Fonda, Bergen and Steenburgen.

(L to R) Diane Keaton as Diane, Mary Steenburgen as Carol, Candice Bergen as Sharon, and Jane Fonda as Vivian in 'Book Club: The Next Chapter,' a Focus Features release.

The sequel to 2018’s ‘ Book Club ,’ which is entitled ‘ Book Club: The Next Chapter ,’ opens in theaters on May 12th and is once again directed and co-written by Bill Holderman.

What is the plot of 'Book Club: The Next Chapter?’

Four older best friends, Diane ( Diane Keaton ), Vivian ( Jane Fonda ), Sharon ( Candice Bergen ) and Carol ( Mary Steenburgen ), take their book club to Italy for the fun girls' trip they never had in their youth to celebrate Vivian’s upcoming marriage. But when things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure that will change all of their lives forever.

Book Club: The Next Chapter

Who is in the cast of ‘Book Club: The Next Chapter?’

‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ stars Oscar-winner Diane Keaton (‘ Annie Hall ,’ ‘ The Godfather ’) as Diane, Oscar-winner Jane Fonda (‘ Klute ,’ ’ 80 For Brady ’) as Vivian, Oscar-winner Mary Steenburgen (‘ Melvin and Howard ,’ ‘ Back to the Future Part III ’) as Carol, and Oscar-nominee Candice Bergen (‘ Gandhi ,’ ‘ Carnal Knowledge ’) as Sharon, as well as Oscar-nominee Andy Garcia (‘ The Godfather Part III’ ) as Mitchell, Don Johnson (‘ Knives Out ’) as Arthur, Craig T. Nelson (‘ The Incredibles ’) as Bruce, and Giancarlo Giannini (‘ Man on Fire ’).

Initial Thoughts

The result is a very predictable comedy that is still funny and overall entertaining thanks to the colorful characters and excellent performances from the four leading actresses.

(L to R) Mary Steenburgen stars as Carol, Candice Bergen as Sharon, Diane Keaton as Diane and Jane Fonda as Vivian in 'Book Club: The Next Chapter,' a Focus Features release. Credit: Riccardo Ghilardi / © 2023 Fifth Season, LLC.

The Sequel’s Story and Direction

‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ begins during the COVID lock-down and shows our characters dealing with the pandemic by continuing their book club through Zoom. The pandemic soon ends and the four friends are reunited in person, but all their lives have changed. Vivian (Fonda) is now engaged to Arthur (Johnson), Diane (Keaton) is in a serious relationship with Mitchell (Garcia), Sharon (Bergen) has retired from being a Judge, and Carol (Steenburgen) is having issues with her husband (Nelson), while her restaurant closes due to the pandemic.

When Carol is reminded that they all planned to take a trip to Italy together back in their youth, she suggests that they travel there now to celebrate Vivian’s upcoming marriage. As one can imagine, high jinks ensue. While there is not a lot of the actual book club featured in ‘Book Club: The Next Chapter,’ that’s okay, as the character-driven story and the performances of the lead actresses is enough to keep the film moving, funny, and compelling. However, it is also very predictable, and there are not a lot of real surprises in the movie.

For example, the opening scene actually gives away the ending, if you can recognize which of the lead actresses’ voice is the narrator, and spoiler alert … you definitely can! Another predictable moment comes when Carol, who is having issues with her husband coincidentally runs into her old boyfriend in Rome. Sparks fly as you can imagine, but if you guessed that nothing happens between them and she eventually makes up with her husband, you’d probably be on to something.

So the movie is littered with extremely predictable moments but to the credit of director Bill Holderman and the cast, none of that really matters. The heart of the movie are the relationships between these four women, and the slightly outrageous characters each one of them has created, which is where the humor stems from. It’s clear that Holderman realizes that, as he keeps the focus mostly on the leading ladies, their characters, and the beautiful locations of Italy, as nothing else in the movie really matters at all. In that sense, Hollderman has the freedom to allow the other characters, situations, and minor plot points to go to the wayside as the only thing that is important is our four main characters, their friendship, and their experiences together.

(L to R) Diane Keaton stars as Diane, Jane Fonda as Vivian, Candice Bergen as Sharon and Mary Steenburgen as Carol in 'Book Club: The Next Chapter,' a Focus Features release. Credit: © 2023 Fifth Season, LLC.

Related Article: Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen Talk 'Book Club: The Next Chapter'

Italy is a character in the movie.

‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ shot on location in Italy in some of the country’s most famous locations, and Hollderman takes full advantage of it. Italy is definitely its own character in the movie, and cinematographer Andrew Dunn shoots the actresses with beautiful vistas and famous Italian locations behind them like the Pizza della Rotonda, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps. It adds a layer of excitement to the project, and also grounds the film in a certain reality, even in the movie’s most ridiculous or predictable moments.

(L to R) Mary Steenburgen stars as Carol, Jane Fonda as Vivian, Diane Keaton as Diane and Candice Bergen as Sharon in 'Book Club: The Next Chapter,' a Focus Features release. Credit: © 2023 Fifth Season, LLC.

Keaton, Fonda, Bergen and Steenburgen

But the movie only works because of the carefully created characters performed by the four excellent leading actresses. You can tell that they all really like working with each other, as it shines through their performances and relationships with each other on screen. It also helps that each actress was perfectly cast and plays a character similar to their own onscreen personas.

Diane Keaton plays Diane (that can’t be a coincidence), a neurotic woman still looking for love, not unlike an older version of Annie Hall. Fonda plays Vivian, an older woman trying to hold on to her youth and beauty, which is almost the same exact character as she recently played in ’80 For Brady.’ Bergen plays Sharon, a bawdy career women fearful of retirement, reminiscent of her classic TV character Murphy Brown. And Steenburgen plays Carol, a free spirited women, who still loves her husband, but is looking for some excitement in her life, which in line with characters she’s played in the past in films like ‘Back to the Future III.’ None of this is meant as a criticism, but rather just to say that the actresses play characters they are well suited for and because of that, create very memorable performances.

In a film like this, it’s easy for one or two of the lead actresses to get less screen time than the others, but that is not the case here. While in some ways the story is told from Keaton’s character’s point of view, all of the main characters have nice arcs and each actress is given time to shine. Keaton and Fonda’s characters find their true voices before the end of the movie, and the two actresses share a very nice emotional scene together. Steenburgen’s Carol has a full arc too, and in many ways her story is the heart of the movie. But Bergen surprisingly has the best comedic moments and is very funny in the film, especially when she is squaring off with Giancarlo Giannini.

Speaking of which, Giancarlo Giannini, best known for action dramas like ‘Man on Fire’ and ‘ Casino Royale ,’ is very funny as an Italian police captain that has it out for Bergen’s Sharon, and in turn her friends. But again, his “change of heart” in the third act is another example of the film’s predictability. But overall, while they have very little screen time, the male actors are very good in the movie and support their female counterparts quite well, without ever drawing the attention away from them.

Andy Garcia, Don Johnson, and Craig T. Nelson all have great chemistry with their significant others, Keaton, Fonda, and Steenburgen, respectively. While Garcia and Johnson both play “nice guys,” Nelson has a little more to do playing the “hapless nice guy,” although again, his character’s turn in the end was about as predictable as they come.

Final Thoughts

In the end, even the movie’s predictability can’t stop the film from being fun and entertaining, thanks to the character-driven story and outstanding performances from Keaton, Fonda, Bergen, and Steenburgen, not to mention the beautiful locations. It may not be for everyone, but I know my mom is going to love this movie!

‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.

(L to R) Diane Keaton stars as Diane, Jane Fonda as Vivian, Candice Bergen as Sharon and Mary Steenburgen as Carol in "Book Club: The Next Chapter,' a Focus Features release. Credit: Riccardo Ghilardi / © 2023 Fifth Season, LLC.

Other Movies Similar to ‘Book Club: The Next Chapter:'

• ' Nine to Five ' (1980)
• ' The First Wives Club ' (1996)
• ' Something's Gotta Give ' (2003)
• ' The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ' (2012)
• ' And So It Goes ' (2014)
• ' Youth ' (2015)
• ' The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ' (2015)
• ' Our Souls at Night ' (2017)
• ' Book Club ' (2018)
• ' Wine Country ' (2019)
• ' Poms ' (2019)
• ‘ 80 for Brady ' (2023)
• ‘ Moving On ' (2023)

Buy Tickets: 'Book Club: The Next Chapter' Movie Showtimes

Buy 'Book Club' on Amazon

‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ is produced by Focus Features, Makeready, and Fifth Season. It is set to release in theaters on May 12th, 2023.

Jami Philbrick has worked in the entertainment industry for over 20 years and is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Moviefone.com. Formally, Philbrick was the Managing Editor of Relativity Media's iamROGUE.com, and a Senior Staff Reporter and Video Producer for Mtime, China's largest entertainment website. He has also written for Fandango, MovieWeb, and Comic Book Resources. Philbrick received the 2019 International Media Award at the 56th annual ICG Publicists Awards, and is a member of the Critics Choice Association. He has interviewed such talent as Tom Cruise, George Clooney, Dwayne Johnson, Scarlett Johansson, Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, Quentin Tarantino, and Stan Lee.

Related News

More News on Moviefone

Movie Reviews

Follow Moviefone

Latest trailers.

Book Club: The Next Chapter Review

Here’s another of the surprisingly robust mini-genre of comedies where Jane Fonda and friends take a trip. Following  80 For Brady , another quartet sets out to prove that there's life and love after 70 – and quite a lot of limoncello too. Sharper and funnier than 2018's original  Book Club , this manages to vaguely entertain despite hitting clichés harder and more frequently than any septuagenarian should dare.

Plot wise, imagine a jaunty "It’s always wine o'clock" sign — these ladies barely manage a scene without a glass in hand — and you’re about there. Following a weirdly charming pandemic montage, we learn that perennial man-eater Vivian (Fonda) is now engaged to Arthur ( Don Johnson ). To celebrate, her book club friends – mousy Diane ( Diane Keaton ), cheery Carol ( Mary Steenburgen ) and cynical Sharon ( Candice Bergen ) – plan a trip to Italy. Following some extremely gentle obstacles, everyone works through their issues and emerges happier on the other side.

The plot unrolls inexorably towards a happy ending with barely a bend in the road.

The leads are all deeply accomplished performers, capable of delivering stories far worse than this with conviction, so they just about carry the nonsense along. They're helped by the charisma of their love interests, including Johnson, Andy Garcia , Craig T. Nelson and now Hugh Quarshie. The men are younger, on average, than their leading ladies, and playing barely two-dimensional roles. Then again, four actresses who worked through the 70s and 80s have earned a little turnabout.

With a few good zingers about classical nudes and a lot less  Fifty Shades  chat this time, it’s a significant improvement from returning director Bill Holderman . The plot unrolls inexorably towards a happy ending with barely a bend in the road, though occasionally someone will accidentally say something true, or the script will provide something toothy for its stars, and it will sing for a moment. Just a moment, though: this is essential viewing only if you’re  really  desperate for a Tuscan getaway, or deathly allergic to surprises.

Review: If you could take a movie to the beach, ‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ might be it

• Copy Link URL Copied!

It seems like everyone’s going to Italy these days. Thanks to a strong dollar and pandemic-induced wanderlust, it’s not just influencers, old friends and exes filling up their Instagram feeds with gelato and pasta. Season 3 of “Succession” went to Tuscany for a wedding, “The White Lotus’” second season checked in for a stay in Sicily, while Toni Collette landed in Rome to become the “Mafia Mamma.” And now the “Book Club” gals — Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen, Diane Keaton and Candice Bergen — take off for a wine-soaked adventure off the page in the fluffy and fantastical “Book Club: The Next Chapter.”

Directed by Bill Holderman, written by Holderman and Erin Simms, this sequel is even more of a heightened fantasy than its 2018 predecessor. It will require tossing aside every scrap of disbelief and grabbing onto a glass of prosecco instead, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t also be a touching story about the importance of lifelong friendships. When Vivian (Fonda) grasps her girls in a group hug and declares them her “soul mates,” it’s hard not to be at least a little bit moved by their bond, a lively balance of pleasure-seeking, hapless adventure and a healthy dose of tough love.

In the first film , the gals got their groove back thanks to “Fifty Shades of Grey.” “The Next Chapter” finds the quartet forging a new path forward with Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist,” looking for signs that ultimately lead them to Italy under the auspices of a bachelorette party for Vivian, who is now engaged to Arthur (Don Johnson).

The sequel stumbles a bit at the outset with a 2020-set preamble featuring tired pandemic material about Zoom happy hours as the book club goes virtual; the machinations to get them to Italy are so tortured that as an audience, we often feel ahead of the characters. It’s not until they arrive in Venice from Rome, rattled by the theft of their suitcases, that we fall into step with them. The ladies shake loose their uptight Brentwood sensibilities for the Italian way of life, follow the signs like Coelho’s protagonist, and a spontaneous drink with a handsome stranger, Ousmane (Hugh Quarshie), leads to a serendipitous dinner party and a visitor from the past.

No slowing down — or retirement — for ‘Book Club’ stars Fonda, Bergen and Steenburgen

‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ stars Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen. And none of them plan to retire from acting anytime soon.

May 8, 2023

Shot on location in Italy, the film offers some travelogue appeal, though it retains the aesthetic of a carefully lit studio backlot. The characters are also essentially riffs on these legendary performers’ personas — it’s not exactly transformative acting here.

But once again, Bergen proves to be the MVP as salty, sarcastic retired judge Sharon. She’s the very necessary hit of acid needed to make this confection palatable, the spritz of lemon on a plate of fritto misto, cutting through the fat. Going with the Italian wine theme — these ladies like to drink a lot of it — Sharon is a dry, full-bodied Montepulciano (she may be sardonic, but she is still sexy). Fonda’s Vivian is a crisp, bubbly prosecco, chef Carol (Steenburgen) a velvety Chianti, perfect for pairing with food, while Diane (Keaton) is a cool, sweet Pinot Grigio. To continue the food metaphors, the story itself is so easily digestible that it calls to mind polenta: warm, comforting, not too challenging, a little cheesy.

This is a film that wants to have it all, to celebrate the women who take the nontraditional path but still end in a white wedding, to offer a portrait of feminine sexuality of a certain age but remain couched in heterosexual monogamy. There are some inherent contradictions in what it wants to hold as true, but it’s also honest in that it offers a space for those truths to coexist. Holderman and Simms’ script navigates those moments capably enough.

Ultimately, “Book Club: The Next Chapter” is about finding balance: between reading the signs and controlling your own narrative, between taking a leap of faith and putting in the hard work. Most importantly, it’s about putting your own desires first and having the bravery to take the reins, whether that means marriage or a rendezvous in a canal with a handsome professor of philosophy. Either or both can be the right choice. It may be treacly and unrealistic, but “Book Club: The Next Chapter” has heart and soul, and it’s as sweet and quaffable as an Aperol spritz on a hot day.

Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

'Book Club: The Next Chapter'

Rated: PG-13, for some strong language and suggestive material Running time: 1 hour, 47 minutes Playing: Starts May 12 in general release

More to Read

Review: Formulaic and frothy, ‘Summer Camp’ is the latest from a one-woman cottage industry

May 31, 2024

16 romance novels to heat up your summer

20 new books you need to read this summer

May 15, 2024

Only good movies

Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

More From the Los Angeles Times

His Palme d’Or may change things, but for now, he can still go to the movies in L.A.

Oct. 16, 2024

Lamorne Morris likens himself to his ‘Saturday Night’ character: ‘You’re the Black dude’

Oct. 15, 2024

Entertainment & Arts

Kenny Ortega and Alan Menken revise ‘Newsies’ songs to encourage voting — with lots of cameos

Oct. 14, 2024

‘My Robots’: Sci-fi director looks at Elon Musk’s Cybercab and Optimus and detects a copy cat

Most read in movies.

‘Bad Boys’ actor Theresa Randle detained by LAPD after suspected felony assault incident

Oct. 11, 2024

Simu Liu asks fans to stop ‘bullying’ bubble tea brand amid ‘cultural appropriation’ stir

What was the first episode of ‘SNL’ really like? Fact vs. fiction in ‘Saturday Night’

Cameron Crowe on his lost Tom Petty film, plus the week’s best movies in L.A.

Screen Rant

Book club: the next chapter review - a thin but heartwarming & entertaining sequel.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Sequel To Julia Roberts' $315M Movie Gets Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

How the next two evil dead movies fit into franchise timeline explained by bruce campbell, dylan o'brien has two new 2024 movies that audiences are liking on rotten tomatoes.

Some movies are heartfelt and moving despite not having much of a story at all, and Book Club: The Next Chapter is one such film. The sequel to 2018’s Book Club , The Next Chapter sees the characters on a trip to Italy as they enter the next stage in their lives and reaffirm their friendship. It’s a lovely, warm film overall, though it lingers for longer than need be and has no major conflict. Directed by Bill Holderman from a screenplay he co-wrote with Erin Simms, Book Club: The Next Chapter is fluff, but if you’re willing to go along for the ride, it will occasionally pull on the heartstrings, while also serving as a beautiful travel commercial for Italy.

The film begins by covering what the four friends — Vivian (Jane Fonda), Diane (Diane Keaton), Sharon (Candice Bergen), and Carol (Mary Steenburgen) — have been up to during the initial pandemic lockdown. Sharon’s retired, Vivian and Arthur (Don Johnson) are doing so well that she says yes to his proposal, Diane and Mitchell (Andy García) are still going strong, but she decides to take her late husband’s ashes to Italy with her, and Carol is caring for Bruce (Craig T. Nelson), who underwent an angioplasty. Throughout it all, they maintain their monthly book club discussions over Zoom. Inspired by The Alchemist , the four friends decide to go to Italy once it’s clear to do so, which is something they’ve always wanted to do before life got in the way. Doubling as a bachelorette party trip, the characters bask in their friendship as they prepare for what life throws at them next.

Related: Book Club: The Next Chapter: Cast & Character Guide

Book Club: The Next Chapter is short on plot. It’s truly one long, gorgeous-to-look-at travel commercial for Italy, but one with a lot of heart. Holderman and Simms are content to let the characters go where they please, and they do just that. Yes, there is the occasional obstacle they must overcome, but it’s all done at a leisurely pace, with the film taking care to showcase that not everything needs to be rushed. Even when the friends get honest with each other, the criticisms are accepted with a nod and a laugh. Anger and frustration is not something this sequel bothers too much with, choosing to go with the flow and follow what they believe are signs pointing them in the direction they need to go. It’s a nice sentiment, though The Next Chapter could have definitely dabbled in a bit more conflict, if only to make things a bit more interesting and meaningful.

The friends all have their hang-ups about something. For Viv, it’s wondering whether she should get married, something she’s been adamant about not doing for so long; for Carol, it’s Bruce’s health, and she becomes fearful of losing him to the point of controlling every little thing. The list goes on, but the whole point of the trip is to not only spend some much-needed time together but to gain some clarity, let things go, and live life to the fullest. The film follows suit, not worried about the details or plumping up the drama for no reason. We’re taken on a heartwarming ride alongside these lifelong friends, and it feels right to be able to sit in their light for a little while despite the story being paper thin.

That said, Book Club: The Next Chapter could have used more comedy. Bergen really nails her comedic timing, and she infuses the sequel with enough laughs to carry it through. There are certain points in the film that are frankly ridiculous, and it would have helped had they been filled with humor beyond Bergen’s line delivery. Still, the film is as lighthearted as they come. With good company and some lovely interactions, and breathtaking views of Rome and Venice, the cast seems to be having a blast, and it makes us want to join them on their journey.

Book Club: The Next Chapter has a winsome cast and a fabulous location, sprinkled with story beats that keep it going. But the writing, while not containing enough to sustain it for nearly two hours, is breezy and touching, with the cast imbuing the film with their charm and lovely chemistry. The Book Club sequel will make you feel as though you’re reuniting with old friends for some wine and life lessons, and that’s enough.

Book Club: The Next Chapter is now playing in theaters. The film is 107 minutes long and rated PG-13 for some strong language and suggestive material.

Book Club: The Next Chapter

The sequel to the 2016 comedy film, Book Club: The Next Chapter follows four older women who decide to take their dream girls' trip - by heading to Italy. When the quartet of Diane, Vivian, Sharon, and Carol reach their destination, their meticulously planned vacation is derailed, sending them on the adventure of a lifetime.

• 3 star movies

Advertisement

Supported by

Review: In ‘Book Club,’ Women, Wine and the Pursuit of More

• Share full article

By A.O. Scott

• May 16, 2018

The four members in the titular book club of “Book Club” are four women who have been meeting once a month to drink wine and talk about a book. They started in the ’70s with Erica Jong’s “Fear of Flying” and have just turned their attention to E.L. James’s “Fifty Shades of Grey.” There’s a lot of literary and social history in the span between those two best sellers, which take their heroines from “zipless” adultery to handcuffed monogamy, from elusive liberation to consensual bondage.

But this movie isn’t much concerned with the novels themselves. The stories it has to tell about feminism and female sexuality are left mainly implicit in the script (by Bill Holderman and Erin Simms; Mr. Holderman directed) because they are written in the faces of its stars. And much in the way that their characters use reading as a pretext for hanging out and drinking wine — there will be wine in every paragraph of this review, as there is wine in nearly every scene of this film — the filmmakers understand that what will satisfy the audience is time in the company of Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton and Mary Steenburgen.

They embody a carefully plotted range of professional and marital situations. Sharon (Ms. Bergen) is a long-divorced federal judge. Diane (Ms. Keaton) is a recently widowed mother of two grown daughters (Alicia Silverstone and Katie Aselton). Vivian (Ms. Fonda) is a proudly unattached hotel owner. Carol (Ms. Steenburgen) is a happily married chef. (All of them are heterosexual.) Having finished with a book that sounds a lot like Cheryl Strayed’s “Wild,” they turn to the adventures of Anastasia Steele. And while they make a few mild jokes about spanking and the Red Room over their glasses of chardonnay, “Fifty Shades” inspires them not to kinky exploration, but to the sharing and eventual correction of their own sexual frustrations.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

• Trending on RT

What to Watch

What to watch this week: the great , book club , and more, this week's recommendations include an emmy-nominated series, a tongue-in-cheek tech biopic, a sequel full of screen legends, and more..

TAGGED AS: movies , streaming , TV

We may not be as impressive as the ruler of a kingdom or anything, but this week’s recs still qualify as pretty… great. Along with the return of a popular anti-historical series, we’ve got a movie about your favorite smartphone not made by Apple, the return of a star-studded book club, an inspiring story from an all-time great, and an extra rec for Asian-American Pacific Islander month.

Reason No. 2 would have to be the show’s two Emmy-nominated stars: Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult , who play married couple Catherine the Great and Emperor Peter III. And speaking of Fanning, she teased at a Deadline event earlier this year that season 3 will see their characters working on their marriage with counseling, and perhaps even a marriage witch. Yes, a marriage witch.

Where to Watch: Hulu

And if you haven’t already gotten up to check a forgotten drawer for your own old BlackBerry, it’s worth noting that this film was adapted from a popular book — so there were plenty of juicy details to choose from — and it stars the always entertaining Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton , with Cary Elwes in a supporting role. On top of all that berry goodness, this film festival darling is already Certified Fresh on the Tomatometer.

Where to Watch: In theaters

Where to Watch: Apple TV+

You may be wondering why we picked this movie, especially since 4/20 has already come and gone, but there’s actually two great reasons: one is that it’s currently Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, so if you’re going to celebrate it, why not have some fun with it, right? Plus, this Fresh gem turns 19 this year — yep, you’re definitely getting old — which means it falls under our RT25 celebration, as we look back fondly on 25 years of Rotten Tomatoes. So grab your best pal and some munchies and fire this one up for the weekend.

Where to Watch: Vudu

Hopefully our recommendations helped you fill up your entertainment calendar this weekend. Be sure to let us know in the comments what you watched, whether it was on this list or not!

Thumbnail image by Marvel Studios

On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.

Related News

Vote in the Final Round of the 1994 Movie Showdown

58 Best Basketball Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer

TV Premiere Dates 2024

More What to Watch

What to Watch: Most Anticipated Black-Led Shows and Movies of 2024

What to Watch This Week: 2023 Golden Tomato Award Winners

What to Watch This Week: Jury Duty , Shin Kamen Rider , and More Staff Picks

Movie & TV News

Featured on rt.

October 16, 2024

October 15, 2024

Renewed and Cancelled TV Shows 2024

Weekend Box Office: Terrifier 3 Wins Battle of the Killer Clowns

October 14, 2024

Top Headlines

• Best New Rom-Coms and Romance Movies –
• 58 Best Basketball Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer –
• 84 Best Horror Movies Directed by Women –
• Best TV Shows of 2024: Best New Series to Watch Now –
• Best Movies of 2024: Best New Movies to Watch Now –
• 100 Best Anime Movies of All Time –

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• About Rotten Tomatoes®
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening This Week
• Top Box Office
• Coming Soon to Theaters
• Certified Fresh Movies

Movies at Home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most Popular Streaming Movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 81% Piece By Piece Link to Piece By Piece
• 74% Terrifier 3 Link to Terrifier 3
• 79% The Apprentice Link to The Apprentice

New TV Tonight

• 92% Rivals: Season 1
• 94% Shrinking: Season 2
• -- Hysteria!: Season 1
• -- Happy's Place: Season 1
• -- American Horror Stories: Season 3
• -- Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage: Season 1
• -- The Lincoln Lawyer: Season 3
• -- Tracker: Season 2
• -- The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 94% The Penguin: Season 1
• 83% Agatha All Along: Season 1
• 78% Disclaimer: Season 1
• 88% Sweetpea: Season 1
• 76% Teacup: Season 1
• 94% Nobody Wants This: Season 1
• 100% From: Season 3
• 100% Outer Banks: Season 4
• -- Deceitful Love: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV

Certified fresh pick

• 88% La Máquina: Season 1 Link to La Máquina: Season 1
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Best New Rom-Coms and Romance Movies

58 Best Basketball Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Vote in the Final Round of the 1994 Movie Showdown

TV Premiere Dates 2024

• Trending on RT
• Spooky Season
• Free Movies on Tubi
• TV Premiere Dates
• Halloween Programming Guide

Pulp Fiction Reviews

Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction not only remains his best movie, but is an exhilarating crime saga full of great performances and energetic writing.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Sep 20, 2024

... A controversial yet award-worthy combination of gorgeous dialogue, genre-literacy, guns and gore.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Aug 22, 2024

Pulp Fiction may not be perfect (the Butch sequence struggles to reach the heights of the others). However, its highs are among the very best in cinema history.

Full Review | Original Score: 10/10 | Jun 21, 2024

... a film that twists and turns and double backs on itself with the sheer delight of a narrative magician.

Full Review | Apr 6, 2024

Quentin Tarantino is the Jerry Lee Lewis of cinema, a pounding performer who doesn't care if he tears up the piano, as long as everybody is rocking.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Mar 1, 2024

Rarely have I left a movie theatre more thrilled or invigorated as I did after leaving Pulp Fiction.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Mar 1, 2024

There is a fine madness to writer/director/actor Quentin Tarantino's latest wonderwork, Pulp Fiction, which is certainly one of the most exciting films of the past 20 years and easily the most important film of 1994.

Full Review | Original Score: A+ | Mar 1, 2024

Unlike his first film, Reservoir Dogs, whose genius lay in its ability to shock and dazzle, Pulp Fiction penetrates the glib surface of style, allusion, and machismo to the murky meaning of these things.

Full Review | Mar 1, 2024

There's a special kick that comes from watching something this thrillingly alive.

The actors know they've got a good thing and, echoing Tarantino's boldness and resourcefulness, they give it everything they've got.

Like its source material, Pulp Fiction is comic and grim, sun-soaked and shadowy, tender and blunt. A pop-drenched dream reel, the film is both a reverential nod to the power of words and a stunning entertainment that more than lives up to its hype.

Brilliant and brutal, funny and exhilarating, jaw-droppingly cruel and disarmingly sweet.

A truly great soundtrack keeps the tone hip and even steals a scene or two. Not that Tarantino doesn't have plenty to spare. Pulp Fiction is riveting filmmaking funny, visceral, stylish and so unabashedly original that you never want it to end.

Unlike too many movies with annoying soundtracks that make up for inferior filmmaking, Tarantino allows natural sounds to slip in -- traffic utensils and other everyday background noises. It allows for more drama and a greater buildup of tension.

In between the violence, which does get hard R-rated extreme, the real pleasure of Pulp Fiction is listening to these folks talk. If you smile at David Mamet's dialogue, you'll laugh out loud at the words of Quentin Tarantino.

Nothing you've ever seen on screen fully prepares you for the audacious ferocity of Quentin Tarantino's pitch-black comedy Pulp Fiction.

[Pulp Fiction] is a dazzling feat of writing. Lurid and unexpectedly hilarious, it's a deceptive piece of work that appears slight and simple on the surface but grows richer and more complex with hindsight.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Mar 1, 2024

Quentin Tarantino, two movies into his directing career, brings to mind the early years of Godard and Truffaut, Coppola when he arrived with the Godfathers and Scorcese when he took to the streets of New York.

A 2 1/2 -hour tour-de-force of personal style that (with the help of an extraordinary cast) creates more memorable characters than any other movie this year.

Possessed of the literary grit and low-life existentialism that its title suggests Pulp Fiction is a hard-boiled work of virtuoso moviemaking by writer-director Quentin Tarantino.