Standing Up, Falling Down - Film Comedy With Billy Crystal - Excellent Reviews

We will get to more biking soon - especially if we get more days like Sunday! - but we also like to support the JxJ film program at the EDCJCC that's full-time now!

So let's support Ilya and JxJ by seeing this excellently reviewed comedy. Tickets are $13 - trying to work out a discount. Can be bought on-site.

STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN
Dir. Matt Ratner | 91 min
Narrative USA 2019
English
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 7pm
Official Selection — Tribeca Film Festival

Things are not going according to plan for Scott (Ben Schwartz), a stand-up comedian begrudgingly returning to Long Island after striking out on the Los Angeles comedy scene. He’s humiliated to move back in with his family and haunted by what could have been with Becky (Eloise Mumford), the hometown girlfriend he abruptly left for the West Coast. Wracked with doubt and facing the prospect of a soul-crushing “real” job, Ben finds an unexpected connection with Marty (Billy Crystal), a local dermatologist and charming barfly with a penchant for karaoke. Scott learns that Marty’s larger-than-life personality and alcoholism mask past disappointments of his own. As their unlikely friendship evolves, Marty and Scott find the strength to start confronting their long-simmering regrets.

Matt Ratner’s feature debut is a poignant, warmhearted comedy anchored by its leads’ easy rapport and Crystal’s boundless charisma. Nate Corddry and Grace Gummer round out a strong supporting cast in this ode to companionship and facing failure together.

From Hollywood Reporter:
Director Matt Ratner gets strong performances from both Schwartz (a veteran of TV series like Parks and Recreation) and Crystal. In fact, this may be the best performance that Crystal has ever given; instead of wallowing in the schmaltzy emotion that he has sometimes exhibited in his more dramatic roles, Crystal finds the character’s self-sabotaging edge as well as his prickly sense of humor. Their relationship unfolds unpredictably and unsentimentally.