Hanging Up ** (2000, Diane Keaton, Meg Ryan, Lisa Kudrow, Walter Matthau, Cloris Leachman, Adam Arkin) – Classic Movie Review 10,472

Diane Keaton directs and stars in the well-cast, weepie 2000 family comedy drama Hanging Up about a trio of attractive self-absorbed middle-aged sisters (Keaton, Meg Ryan, Lisa Kudrow), who are forced to forget their differences and come closer together when their cantankerous 79-year-old father (Walter Matthau) is found to have dementia and to be dying.

Despite the capable performances of the appealing players and the conscientious work all round, it is depressing rather than being particularly funny or enlightening.

Sadly it is the great Matthau’s last film. It was released on 18 February 2000, shortly before Matthau’s death on 1 July 2000, aged 79.

Keaton plays successful women’s magazine Georgia Mozell, Ryan plays party planner Eve Marks, Kudrow plays soap opera actress, and Cloris Leachman plays their mother Pat.

Hanging Up is based on 1995 novel by Delia Ephron. The screenplay is by Delia Ephron and her elder sister Nora Ephron. Delia Ephron’s movies include This Is My Life (1992), Mixed Nuts (1994), Michael (1996), You’ve Got Mail (1998), Hanging Up (2000), The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005), and Bewitched (2005).

The cast are: Meg Ryan as Eve Mozell Marks, Diane Keaton as Georgia Mozell, Lisa Kudrow as Maddy Mozell, Walter Matthau as Lou Mozell, Adam Arkin as Joe Marks, Cloris Leachman as Pat Mozell, Jesse James as Jesse Marks, Edie McClurg as Esther, Maree Cheatham as Angie, Myndy Crist as Dr Kelly, Celia Weston as Madge Turner, Stephanie Ittleson as Victoria, Katie Stratton as Young Georgia, Talia-Lynn Prairie as Young Maddy, Paige Wolfe as Young Eve, Kristina Dorn as Young Pat and Charles Matthau as Young Lou.

It had a relatively high budget of $40 million and earned a just respectable $51 million at the box office worldwide.

Keaton’s only other feature as director is Unstrung Heroes (1995).

Ryan and Matthau were previously in I.Q. together.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,472

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