A Masterpiece!

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Let me get this out of the way: I LOVED Obvious Child, the first film by director Gillian Robespierre that also starred Jenny Slate. Despite the lack of a similar hook for Landline (most of the discussion over what it was about just seemed to be "it takes place in the 90s) I was still very excited to see it. Unfortunately it failed to live up to my expectations and to the early promise that the Robespierre/Slate collaboration showed. Landline is indeed set in the mid 90s but it is focused on the romantic relationships of the Jacobs which is comprised of a father who is a copy-writer and failed playwright, a mother whose job I never quite caught, an academic daughter, and a youngest daughter still in school. The eldest daughter Dana (Jenny Slate, both annoying and adorable) is engaged and in a long term relationship. After she runs into an ex-boyfriend she ends up sleeping with him and the two start an affair. At nearly the same time younger sister Ali discovers erotic poems her father has written to his mistress. Bound together by this hideous secret the two of them begin to try to discover their father's mistress while trying to protect their mother from the awful revelation. There is a lot to enjoy about Landline including all the 90s references which aren't over the top but are nicely woven in. At the same time, the script is a bit of a mess and though the film is trying to meditate on long-term relationships and sexual fidelity the last third is so rushed (a very important relationship is rebuilt over a ridiculously short one minute montage) that it undercuts any poignancy the film might have. Slate once again proves herself best in show. Robespierre allows her to be over the top and ridiculous (this is a character who openly snorts when she laughs) and she really runs with it. I'll still look forward to any collaborations director and muse have in the future, but with more tempered expectations.

Hark; the epitome of light and what is missing from films is at a new high. Not so much the cinematography, but the essence of filmography is normal. What separates this film from others in its' category is the bond. A mother, a daughter, and a first daughter. The despondent father is cruical to the first daughter (Ms. Slate). Mother is down-trodden so she turns to both. Being alive and the exact opposite of the willing suspension of disbelief carried this film; ever-expansive unto a world of "non-Westside New Yorkers". In the view of how transgression erects itself; not one person but Ms. Quinn. In her role; the passion for the "live" life excels her aura. First daughter is the care-giver in this whopping tale of family, feuds, and freshness. It is in the opinion of the author of this Review that Ms. Slate wins. Costuming was accurate and the sexual scenes were bountiful and hilarious. Real People Doing Real Things. Real People doing real things.

'LANDLINE': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)The new comedy-drama that reteams filmmaker Gillian Robespierre with actress Jenny Slate; they last teamed together in 2014's 'OBVIOUS CHILD'. The film tells the story of two sisters, in 1995 Manhattan, that suspect their dad is cheating on their mom. Robespierre directed and co-wrote the movie, with Elisabeth Holm and Tom Bean, and Slate plays the elder sister Dana. It also costars Abby Quinn (as the younger sister Ali), Edie Falco (as their mom), John Turturro (as their dad) and Jay Duplass (as Dana's fiancé). The film has received mostly positive reviews from critics (although not as good as 'OBVIOUS CHILD'), and it's now playing in indie theaters. The film is hard to watch at times, but it's very well made and moving.The story takes place in Manhattan (in 1995), where teenager Ali (Quinn) lives with her parents, Alan (Turturro) and Pat (Falco). Her older sister, Dana (Slate), is (seemingly) happily engaged to Ben (Duplass). Then Dana runs into an old lover (Finn Wittrock), and her loyalty to Ben is tested. Ali also learns that her father has probably been cheating on her mother. The two sisters try to deal with these problems together. The film is definitely not as upbeat and sweet as 'OBVIOUS CHILD' (which was one of my favorite movies of 2014), but it is just as emotional, in a somewhat darker way though. It's hard to watch at times, but it seems very true to life. The performances are all good in it, and Robespierre is definitely turning into a very impressive filmmaker to watch for. I highly recommend it.Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/PdeLWCp_JrI

LANDLINE (2017) *** Jenny Slate, Abby Quinn, John Turturro, Edie Falco, Jay Duplass, Finn Wittrock. Woody Allen-lite could best describe this dramedy about a NYC family who are going thru several crises largely due to infidelities and identity confirmations. Slate and Quinn are the bickering siblings whose tight knit bond is forged via sarcasm and hearts on their sleeves as they discover their father (Turturro) is having an affair while they are both dealing with their own domestic pitfalls - inklings of wanting something more out of the relationships they both have with other paramours. Filmmaker Gillian Robespierre - who collaborated on the sharp, funny and cleverly warm hearted script with Elisabeth Holm and Tom Bean - has her nostalgia well intact setting the story in 1995 with a fun soundtrack and pre-Internet/cell phone absurdities. Slate's sexy cartoon voice and spiky vulnerability is no full-display and relative newcomer Quinn holds her own with punchy abrasive thrusts-and-parries verbally. An indie gem.