In the bonus track of the DVD of "Here and Now" (aka, "Blue Night"),the director, Fabien Constant, describes his film as "dry." That is the perfect word choice for this slow-moving art film.
The conceit of the film is that of a woman who receives the devastating news of a terminal disease, and the narrative seeks to capture her response in a twenty-four-hour period, as she walks the streets of New York and listens to the mundane sounds of the city.
The protagonist Vivianne, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, is an accomplished jazz singer, who interacts with strangers, friends, family, and fellow artists. But it is not until nearly the end of the film that she opens up to her ex-husband about her tragic situation. She gives a mundane interview to a reporter, meets an old chum played by a giddy and pregnant Renée Zellwegger, and, in one inexplicable moment, stands up her kind manager who is patiently waiting for her in a bar.
The filmmaking approach makes use of lengthy pauses and goes out of its way to capture spontaneous conversations by passersby on the streets of New York. The most intriguing "random" character met by Vivianne is a cab (or Lyft) driver. In their first encounter, the driver, Sami, is rude and disrespectful to his client to the degree that she makes him stop for her to get out of the vehicle. But in their later encounter, he has such empathy for her that he virtually becomes her support system in this crisis. While performed in earnest by the actor, it was difficult to believe that this was a real cabbie, especially in New York.
In listening to the interviews in the extras segment of the DVD, it was difficult not to admire the director, producers, and performers for their grit in completing this film in New York in a sixteen-day shoot. It was also clear that the film artists were dedicated to the seriousness of the project and the depth of feeling that was the intended goal to convey to audiences. Unfortunately, the objective of Vivianne "making peace" with her situation did not come across in the labored experience of her twenty-four hours bustling around New York. In a word, the experience of this film for the audience was summed up best by the director: "dry."
Here and Now
2018
Action / Drama / Music / Romance
Here and Now
2018
Action / Drama / Music / Romance
Plot summary
Approximately 24 hours, from morning to morning, in the life of New York City-based jazz singer Vivienne Carala (Sarah Jessica Parker) is presented. On this day, she has a rehearsal in preparation for a weekend gig starting tomorrow celebrating her 25th anniversary of performing at Birdland - the rehearsal where she knows she will see Jordan (Taylor Kinney),her drummer with whom she has a casual sexual relationship - followed by an interview largely to promote her latest album. Beyond these two items, she will try to fill her day without going home knowing that her overbearing French mother, Jeanne (Jacqueline Bisset),has made another of her unexpected visits. This day is upended in its front side by a medical appointment she has told no one about, let alone her exasperated manager Ben (Common) in she being late for the rehearsal because of it, at which she receives the news of a terminal brain tumor diagnosis - the head pain symptoms which she had long ignored in being too busy to deal with it - with the best case scenario being a 14-month survival, only with treatment. Beyond the commitments of the rehearsal and the interview which are affected by the news, Vivienne, who wants to keep the news to herself for the time being in wanting to live her life, knows she has two logistical issues--needing to tell her ex-husband Nick (Simon Baker),who has custody of their teen daughter Lucie (Gus Birney),they who will have to figure out how to break the news to Lucie; and needing to have one person accompany her to the hospital the following morning, whether that person be Nick or she needing to confide to one other person. Aside from how she will process this news in relation to the people close to her including Nick, Lucie, Jeanne, Ben and Jordan, her own process of dealing with the news internally is affected by, among other things, encounters with two unexpected people, Tessa (Renée Zellweger),an old friend she hasn't seen in a while and who is out celebrating her birthday, and a Lyft driver (Waleed Zuaiter) who also seems to be having a bad day.
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The Sounds of the City
no energy
Vivienne Carala (Sarah Jessica Parker) is a singer in NYC. It's a day in her life. The movie starts with her receiving a brain tumor diagnosis. She has an important upcoming performance and a doctor's appointment the next day.
I like that Sarah Jessica Parker is trying to do something serious. I don't mind the faux realism. I just want the story to do something. I want her to do something. There is a coldness and dullness to everything. SJP needs to explode her performance but she's doing only one tone. She needs to bring some more energy despite the character's reticent to show it. There is plenty of firepower in the cast. I didn't even notice Renée Zellweger at first when she shows up. On the other hand, the Lyft driver is very manufactured. The writing needs to inject some drama and power. It could give her a ticking clock. Maybe she could make up a list of people to see. In the end, it's the filmmaker who fails most here. I don't know what the guy did other than simply point the camera and shoot. There are some extreme closeups but it's very straight forward. There is no energy and no power to the filmmaking. It just lays there.
A continental style SJP movie in NYC
I'll watch anything SJP does in NYC and this meandering Continental style movie has interesting details if you give it a chance.
A jazz singer musician gets a diagnosis of brain tumor and goes around the city. Along the way she sings in a club has her younger lover, sees her daughter who lives with her ex meets a strange Lyft driver and lots more.
Different from her usual comedy drama roles she does stretch her usual type of performance.
Ok for one watch.