2023 may still be in its infancy, yet here comes the second release of a high-concept comedy starring old pals and beloved Hollywood icons Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, following last month’s senior citizen sensation 80 for Brady. Those expecting the usual raucous octogenarian shenanigans, however, would be wise to look elsewhere, as this duo’s latest feature, Moving On, inspires laughs only in dribs and drabs, the result of an essential tonal mishmash found in writer-director Paul Weitz’s script. The filmmaker is certainly no stranger to the land of dramedy, having helmed a number of respectable yet forgettable entries including In Good Company, Fatherhood, and Tomlin-starrer Grandma. But in tenor, Moving On is closest to the director’s one outright catastrophe, 2006’s American Dreamz, a dumpster fire that tried to satirize both reality TV competitions and post-9/11 anxieties, concluding with a suicide bombing played for laughs. Real provocative stuff.
Published as part of InRO Weekly — Volume 1, Issue 11.
