Four best friends take their book club to Italy for the fun girls' trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure.
Diane Keaton
Diane
Jane Fonda
Vivian
Candice Bergen
Sharon
Mary Steenburgen
Carol
Andy García
Mitchell
Don Johnson
Arthur
Craig T. Nelson
Bruce
Giancarlo Giannini
Police Chief
Hugh Quarshie
Ousmane
Vincent Riotta
Chef Gianni
Giovanni Esposito
Pasquale
Giampiero Judica
Donato
Vera Dragone
Sofia
Ugo Dighero
Conductor
Brice Martinet
Police Officer
Francesco Serpico
Street Artist
Robert Steiner
Priest
Mario Russo
Porter 1
Gil Giuliani
Porter 2
Alessio Sica
Handsome Vespa Passenger
Grace Dunn
Grace
Andrea Beruatto
Stefano
Adriano De Pasquale
Bartender
Pietro Angelini
Venice Villa Server
Diego Giangrasso
Hotel Server
Director, Screenplay
Bill Holderman
Screenplay
Erin Simms
May 15, 2023
6
This appears to be a good excuse for four actors, who seem to get on quite well together, to get someone to fund an all expenses paid trip to Italy to make a movie underpinned by the thinnest of plots. That plot sees the group emerging from lockdown when they finally manage to meet for their routine bookclub. It's at this get-together that "Vivian" (Jane Fonda) announces that she - a lifelong opponent of the institution - is to marry "Arthur" (Don Johnson). "Carol" (Mary Steenbergen) comes up with the idea of a hen trip to Italy and after a bit of scepticism from "Diane" (Diane Keanton) and the timely death of the cat of judge "Sharon" (Candice Bergen) they embark on their trip of a lifetime. What now ensues is a rather predictable and lightweight comedy drama that starts off entertainingly enough but runs out of steam quickly and permanently. The last twenty minutes take us into cheesy territory that really did have me looking around the cinema at the ceiling thinking - "oh, just get on with it". There are a few fun contributions from Giancarlo Giannini as the rather dishevelled police chief and a few cameos from Andy Garcia, but for the most part this is just four folks having a jolly time whilst those of us sitting down remember (or discover) just how beautiful Venice is. It's all instantly forgettable stuff, this, but Bergen has her tongue firmly in her cheek and Jane Fonda just seems to look more android the more films she precariously totters through nowadays.