Here Today Parent Guide

Charlie Burnz (Billy Crystal) teeters somewhere between “here today” and “gone tomorrow.” After a thirty-plus year career as a comedy writer, he isn’t quite as up to date as his little-used cell phone, nor as obsolete as his typewriter. Still plying his trade as a contributor and mentor for a weekly TV sketch show, Charlie has enough celebrity to be auctioned off as a prize in a charity fundraiser. Yet the winner of the lunch date with the once-famous scriptwriter isn’t the fawning fan he was expecting.

Emma Payge (Tiffany Haddish) is a loud, brash black woman who has taken the seat at the table away from her cheating boyfriend. Oblivious of Charlie’s identify, she views the meeting as revenge and a free lunch. But when the dining experience turns into a medical emergency, Charlie ends up at the hospital where he is mistaken as Emma’s nearest loved one and expected to foot her bills.

Although Charlie tries hard to unburden himself of Emma and the strange predicament she has thrust upon him, the exuberant, younger woman proves hard to get rid of. And as their unlikely friendship grows, it becomes apparent - ironically - that Charlie also comes with a lot of baggage.

With a good dose of humor (and a lot more sexual innuendo, crass comments and coarse language than needed), this movie explores the challenges of aging, facing incurable illnesses, dealing with difficult family members and soothing past grief. While its portrayal of mental deterioration has its flaws (characters are conveniently lucid when the script calls for them to be), this depiction of the early stages of dementia may provide parents and older children a good starting point for discussions about this important subject.

Despite being a little too sentimental, the film also offers an interesting look at judging others, learning to see beyond face value, the power of friendship and the healing effects of family relationships. For viewers of a similar vintage as actor Billy Crystal, there are also some entertaining reminiscing thanks to cameo appearances from other stars teetering between here-today and gone-tomorrow: Sharon Stone, Barry Levinson and Keven Klein, plus violist Itzhak Perlman.

About author

Donna Gustafson

Donna Gustafson has been involved with her husband Rod's work since the beginning. Handling many of the behind-the-scenes tasks, she also creates preview pages for up-coming movies, acts as managing editor and occasionally writes reviews.