Plot: What’s it about?
Eve (Meg Ryan) never seems to have time for herself, whether she’s stuck on the phone with her father, her sisters, or balancing her own home life. More often than not, Eve is taking care of her cranky father (Walter Matthau), who is nearing the end of his life and has become quite eccentric in the process. He seems to call her all the time, whether to tell her of a telephone conversation with John Wayne or to request some Chinese food, no matter how small the event, he calls her. He’s not always in a good mood either, as he often goes into angry rants and sometimes forgets who Eve and others are. Just as liberal with the telephone are Eve’s sisters (Diane Keaton & Lisa Kudrow), who manage to keep her on the phone whenever her father doesn’t. Since their father is nearing the end, the sisters return to spend time and visit with him, as well as each other. As time passes, the sisters explore their feelings for their father and other, and learn things they were never even aware of.
I’m not much for chick flicks, but I thought the trailer for this film made the movie seem worth looking into. I have always enjoyed Walter Matthau’s performances over the years and the rest of the cast was also talented, so I was ready to watch this when the review copy arrived. My feelings on the film are mixed, as I loved the performances but was left disappointed with the storyline and how it unfolded. While I have never read the book this film is based on, I assume it had to be better than the screenplay used here. While some of the jokes come across well, most of them fall flat and some even seem like desperation quips. Even with such limited material to work with, the actors manage to turn in solid performances, and make the movie worth a rental after all. I can’t imagine how awful this would have been without such gifted actors carrying this substandard material. But maybe I’m this way because I can’t relate to the characters in any fashion, perhaps the female contingent of our readers would connect more with the writing, I’m not sure. If you’re a fan of this type of film or the actors involved, give this title a rental and decide from there for yourself.
This film was directed by Diane Keaton, who also works in front of the camera as an actor in this movie. Keaton is better known for her acting work, but she does a solid turn behind the camera here. While her work is not groundbreaking by any means, she does manage to create some nice atmosphere for the movie. She is also solid in her acting performance, though she isn’t given as complex a role as we’ve seen in her in before. The writers of this film were Delia and Nora Ephron, who have done their fair share of romantic comedies/chick flicks, that’s for sure. Other films involving one or both of them include Sleepless In Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, Michael, and Mixed Nuts. Meg Ryan (French Kiss, Addicted To Love) and Lisa Kudrow (Analyze This) supply adequate performances, with Ryan really pulling out the stops and she’s just as cute as ever. The real show stealer here is Walter Matthau (Grumpy Old Men) as the cranky old man, which is a role he has mastered. The supporting cast also includes Adam Arkin (Halloween H20), Edie McClurg (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), and Cloris Leachman (The Last Picture Show).
Video: How does it look?
Hanging Up is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, with a full frame version also included on this dual layered disc. This is another above average transfer from Columbia, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from them. The colors are vivid when they need to be and subtle when called for, with no signs of erring and flesh tones seem normal and consistent. The contrast shows no problems either, with well defined shadows and no visible detail loss to be seen. Aside from some minor edge enhancement, I noticed no compression errors.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, which offers a terrific audio experience. This is a dialogue based film, so the main surround activity is found within the musical score and soundtrack. Some subtle use can be heard, but the main focus of the surround is the music, which sounds rich and full at all times. The other surround use might be rare, but when it does appear it is effective and well placed, including some excellent directional effects. This is a comedy though, so the dialogue is what you came here to listen to. This track offers crisp and clear vocals at a consistent volume, which never allows them to be drown out by the other elements.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This might not be a special edition, but still has some terrific supplements, including a wonderful isolated musical score, which sounds tremendous. A twelve minute featurette is included, which combines cast and crew interviews with footage from the movie. A six minute gag reel, a deleted scene, production notes, talent files, and the film’s theatrical trailer round out this package.
