The Book Club movie in 2018 had to do with books. In the sequel "Book Club – The Next Chapter" it is a bit more difficult.
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In the sequel to the blockbuster "Book Club", 86-year-old Jane Fonda presents an astonishingly fit and agile role that has surprised many a critic. Fresh and light-footed, as it is said, the aging diva is on the road. But unfortunately, the second part of the comedy "Book Club – A New Chapter" is less about books. And that's a shame.
Mary Steenburgen, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Diane Keaton at the premiere of "Book Club – The Next Chapter" in New York. © Ron Adar/ZUMA Wire/Imago
How about a book club that gathers over the lockdown and tries to survive it. Books were and are a good way to overcome crises. But this is where it comes up a little short. In Bill Holderman's 2018 comedy "Book Club," four wealthy girlfriends introduced themselves. Vivian (Jane Fonda), Diane (Diane Keaton), Sharon (Candice Bergen) and Carol (Mary Steenburgen) drink from bulbous wine glasses in their expensive kitchens and laugh a lot. By reading "Fifty Shades of Grey" (promotional link), they are radicalized and inspired to rethink their personal relationships.
Now comes the sequel: A few years later, the heroines survived the Covid lockdown and maintained their book group via Zoom. They flirt with Sally Rooney's "Normal People" (promotional link), but frustratingly stick to lighter fare like Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" (promotional link), as reported by the Guardian, among others.
"Book Club – A New Chapter": Only without many books
But books don't play a role in their new adventure: a joint vacation of the bachelorettes in Italy before Vivian marries her boyfriend Arthur (Don Johnson). The quirky quartet embarks on adventures in Rome, Florence, and Venice before a romantic finale looms for more than one of them. There are some reasonable moments, but the gags fall by the wayside, according to media reports.
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The Berliner Zeitung praises the film, because the "story bathed in wonderfully warm colors" entertains, even if the individual events are told very predictably. However, this newspaper also complains that the film does not go beyond a few mentions of "The Alchemist" and that a few other book titles would have looked good on it. For more depth, our book tips, such as the island thrillers, are recommended.
Despite all the clichés about Italy, the film is thrilling on the Internet:
- "I was so looking forward to the film. He more than thrilled me. More of it, please!"
- "Damn. This film also makes me dream of such romance."
- "Such a warm film and the irresistible characters. Wonderful."
- "The film was so much fun. I had to cry."
