Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray, DVD and Digital from director Bill Holderman and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the return of the gals and BOOK CLUB: The Next Chapter.

Covid has everyone on lockdown as Diane (Diane Keaton), Vivian (Jane Fonda), Sharon (Candice Bergen and Carol (Mary Steenburgen) turn their usual book club meetsing from in person to on line. Trying to get all four on computer screens, the thrill happens when the masks come off and the hugs are in person.

Vivian has some big news truly lifts their spirit, when she shows the ladies a rock on her engagement finger. Thrilled that Arthur proposed, the idea hits that a bachelorette party was in order and where better than in Italy. Getting to Italy is the easy part of the trip.

Between bags getting lost, cars breaking down and the past coming to light, the girls stick together to try and make the trip as wonderful for their friend Vivian as they can. Then again, that’s what best friends do right? Stick together no matter what country they are in.

And they are living proof of that!

Keaton as Diane is still madly in love with Mitchell and enjoying every moment of it (as she should, I mean Garcia is just as gorgeous as ever). Trying to keep the fun going is always a challenge with these ladies. Keaton gives the standard performance of the quirky gal in the friendship group who loves hard and loves everything and everyone.

Steenburgen as Carol is keeping life together with husband Bruce and instead of living life, she has started to treat her hubby like an invalid with her as his nursemaid. The gals try to remind her that the man she loves is the man she loves and its time to enjoy that.

Bergen as Sharon is dealing with her retirement from the bench and really is not happy about it. Going through Europe means sensible shoes and dealing with disaster after disaster that seems to be following the ladies. I adore Bergen and between her character of Sharon and Enid from HBO’s Sex In The City, she continues to prove why the screen loves her.

Fonda as Vivian is dealing with the excitement of going through Italy with her friends but also of doing the bridal thing. Being very proud of where she is in life, finding the right dress to keep the wedding excitement up is something else. That doesn’t mean the nerves don’t start to set in thinking about how her life is about to change.

Nelson as Bruce is a husband who is kind of thrilled his wife has taken off to Europe. Yes, a heart attack isn’t to be taken lightly but the hovering of Carol isn’t being taken lightly either. However, Bruce sure does love his wife. Johnson as Arthur is excited about the upcoming nuptials and has a few surprises up his sleeve that are about to turn everything upside down.

Let’s talk Garcia as Mitchell, he is definetly in love with Diane and lets her live her best life. That basically means he has no worries about her taking the trip and is always so dang supportive. I think Keaton and Garcia are actually quite perfect together on screen and equally match in demeanor and character love.

Shout out to Giancarlo Giannini as the Police Chief. He is constantly dealing with the women who obviously don’t know the rules of the country and that means they are constantly in trouble. He is charming and the way he interacts with Bergen’s Sharon is not only hilarious but so sweet all at the same time.

Other cast include Hugh Quarshire as Ousmane, Giovanni Esposito as Pasquale, Giampiero Judica as Donato, Vera Dragone as Sofia and Vince Riotta as Chef Gianni.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

‘COLLECTOR’S EDITION’ Exclusive Bonus Features include BOOK CLUB: Back in Session – The Book Club is back and better than ever! Sit down with the filmmakers and cast, including our four leading ladies, as they chat about what made the first film such a mega success, why they’re excited to be back, and the journey these characters take in the sequel, Still Stylish – Costume designer Stefano De Nardis was overjoyed to take on the task of dressing these legends of fashion and cinema! Learn how each character’s style was created and how it melds with the actress portraying them.

Also included is The Women in Italy – THE BOOK CLUB is going global and taking the audience with them! Filmmakers and cast discuss shooting in some of the most iconic locations on earth, how the idea of shooting in Italy came to be and what it was like making a movie in Rome and Venice amongst the actual tourists.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

BOOK CLUB: The Next Chapter is a film that follows women of a certain age through the milestones of life, at any age really. Finding solace in their deep friendship, it is beginning to look like these women are going all out and explore love in the most unexpected places. The world continues to change around them and they enjoy where they are, or are they?

Taking the trip gives them a chance to spend time together, talk about what is they are expecting at their ages and erasing the stigmas that say they should behave and live a certain way. Taking the trip to Italy gives the viewers another lovely look through their eyes at a city that loves love (yes, I know, the French love love as well).

Meeting old friends, meeting new friends and everything in between is what makes the film fun to watch. The friendship between Diane, Carol, Sharon and Vivian feels sincere until you realize that it is quite possible that Keaton, Steenburgen, Bergen and Fonda could quit easily be using their own experiences to make these characters so relatable.

It could also be that I’m 62 and I get their points of view, realizations, humor and wishes for, shall we say, the autumn of their lives. Yet, the film does not embrace that these women should be in nursing homes playing bingo or knitting quietly in a rocker (don’t get me wrong, both of those things are pretty awesome but on my own terms). Instead, these characters get up, dress up and show up to life.

In the end – slightly scandalous and totally fabulous!

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