A Disappointing Continuation

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Enough reviewers here on IMDb have made a comparison of this film to "Stand By Me" that for me to mention it, it would be redundant. Nevertheless, the story did have a Stephen King vibe to it for a number of other reasons. It's a small town coming of age story told in flashback, with the character of Samantha (Demi Moore) narrating her experiences in the past and present with her closest childhood friends. The King novel "It", admittedly a horror story, possibly serves as a better comparison to "Now and Then" in as much as both have a cast of characters who have made a pact to reassemble as adults if any one of them needs help for a stressful situation. If that weren't enough, the storm drain scene had me dreading some demonic clown villain reaching out and grabbing Samantha to pull her under, until I realized that as the narrator, she would have to have survived that awful experience in order to tell the tale. Though on the surface the picture is positioned as one for women and young girls, I think there's some value in applying a more global perspective to the idea of nurturing friendship and loyalty throughout one's lifetime with those we grew up with. The four teen girls in the picture stuck together through thick and thin, searching for the truth about their home town and it's past secrets in a way that helped them grow as individuals. Realizing that not everything can be perfect in one's life is an important lesson to learn, and having a support system to help one grow through those rough patches is a valuable memory one can look back on as the years roll by.I liked the way the picture weaved the Crazy Pete/Dear Johnny subtext into the story, and how it helped Samantha come to grips with the father that abandoned her family. That dynamic further reinforced an idea offered by the returning Vietnam vet (Brendan Fraser), who's best advice to the girls had particular resonance in hindsight - "You can believe in yourself, if you're lucky."

Having just recently watched "Now and Then" again, I decided to check out what other people thought. Reading through a lot of the comments, I noticed that many compared this film to Rob Reiner's "Stand By Me." I guess I would consider the two to be of the same genre (coming of age), but, to me, that's really the only thing the two have in common."Now and Then" is a fun film. It's got quick and easy laughs that many (not just teenage girls) people will find humorous. I will say that "Then" is vastly more entertaining than "Now"; the adult versions of the characters briefly open and close the story, with forgettable filler in between. "Then" offers some slight depth of character for the four girls who embody stereotypes of adolescent girls (the princess, the tomboy, the sheltered one, the seemingly normal one). "Now" still embraces those stereotypes (the princess has become an actress, still obsessed with body image; the normal one has become a writer, who showcases her intellect by wearing black and smoking). There is no growth amongst the adults. "Now" is focused on Chrissy's pregnancy and reminiscing, while "Then" seems to get distracted amongst its various subplots (unraveling Crazy Pete, watching parents fight, bicker with boys, watch movies, build a tree house, ride bikes) without ever really coming to a true conclusion.For a movie hailed as a "Stand By Me" for girls, the film is lacking in its overall sincerity. Whereas Reiner's film grapples (and in some cases overcomes) 'mature' themes like death, acceptance, and separation, Glatter's film skates over the big issues. "Stand By Me" captures true childhood friendship (friends help friends get leeches off their backs) "Now and Then" is only truly poignant, well, now and then.I'd recommend "Now and Then" for a time when you are in the mood for something lighthearted and distracting. I'd second the opinion that it's great for a girl's sleepover or something. But if you are looking for something a little deeper and, in my opinion, more true to childhood friendship, I'd tell you to skip this movie and go straight to "Stand By Me." Note: "Stand By Me" is rated R; "Now and Then" PG-13. Both films have great soundtracks.

Okay, all 4 younger actresses are quite engaging, likable and amazingly unaffected---they can even almost sell me on the "Stand by Me" plot rip off (or what passes for a plot). I don't mind sweet, small town retro (that never really existed) and I am a feminist, so girl power is fine by me.BUT...it still doesn't cut it. For starters, all the homes exteriors are unquestionably mid-80's/90's style homes. EVERY house should have been a split level or a ranch (I grew up in exactly that type of sub division). While the interiors are overall more accurate,. houses that small wouldn't possibly have such large interior rooms. Teeny's room has painted art deco furniture---fashionable in 1995, NOT 1970 (and Teeny appears to be the wealthiest of the group). Really, couldn't they have borrowed "The Wonder Years" set? The other thing is the truly, utterly horrible acting from the adults. Rita Wilson portrays Chrissy as fully mentally unbalanced. Keeps her home exactly the way her mother had it decorated??? Races around like a shrill harpy??? I kept waiting for someone in a white coat with a net to come and take her away. Yes, she could be nerdy and traditional--that doesn't equal totally crazy.Since they're also all 37 now, it doesn't hold water on that level (they all still act twelve, with apologies to 12 year old). Unless she had serious fertility problems, Chrissy would have wanted to get pregnant the second she got married. Athletic, cute Christina Ricci turns into fat, ugly Rosie O'Donnnel??? And Melanie Griffith (more like 18 in 1970) is already far too old, and simply horrible.In all, if nothing else is on, watch it. But it isn't even fun in a campy way.

Now and Then is an excellent coming-of-age movie that gives voice to both the Baby-Boomers' perspective and feminism. The movie's look at the American family provides critique to those changes in family dynamics peculiar to the Baby-Boomer childhood. Beyond its treatment of family dynamics, the plot entertains through adventure; that adventure underscores the loss of freedom in American childhood to do dangerous things typical in a Baby-Boomer childhood that we dared not tell our parents. The cast was solid, although the youth-to-adult match-ups bothered me. I struggled with Christina Ricci growing up to become Rosie O (ironically they delivered the best acting performances). If you enjoy coming of age movies like Stand by Me, Now and Then is its feminine counterpart. In both of these movies, the narrator reflects on the beauty of being twelve years old--living in the moment and having pure friendships. If you enjoy movies that celebrate sisterhood over the generations like 'The Joy Luck Club' or 'A League of Our Own' (another Rosie O movie), Now and Then is a superb choice.